L-G Anil Baijal slams door on doorstep services

New Delhi: Lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal has sent back to the Delhi government a proposal for doorstep delivery of public services for reconsideration, with deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia terming it a “huge setback” to the AAP dispensation's efforts to providing a graft-free governance.

Hitting out at Mr Baijal over the move, Mr Sisodia wondered whether the L-G should have powers to express difference of opinion with an elected government on such critical matters of public interest. The development may trigger a tussle between the AAP dispensation and the L-G office.

The proposal pertains to delivery of 40 public services, including driving licences, caste certificates and new water connections, at the doorstep of citizens. The Delhi Cabinet had approved the proposal last month and sent it to the L-G for his approval. “The L-G rejects proposal of doorstep delivery of 40 govt services like caste, birth address certificates, licences, social welfare schemes, pensions, registrations etc. L-G sends it back for reconsideration. L-G says digitisation of services enough. No need for doorstep delivery (sic),” Mr Sisodia said in a series of tweets.

However, the L-G clarified, “The proposal for doorstep delivery of services not rejected. Only advised to reconsider the proposal and suggested alternate model.”

In a statement, the L-G office said the present proposal has implications on safety and security of women, and senior citizens, possibility of corruption, bad behaviour, breach of privacy, loss of documents and others and adds unnecessary expenditure for the government and the people.

The development may trigger a tussle between the AAP dispensation and the L-G office.