Sisodia slams LG for rejecting doorstep delivery of services

NEW DELHI: A day after Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal returned the file on Delhi government's move to introduce home delivery of public services, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attacked the LG, questioning "who should have the final say".

In a tweet from his official Twitter handle on Tuesday, the Chief Minister had written, "LG says digitisation enough. Elected govt says digitisation needs to be coupled wid doorstep delivery LG does not agree So, the question is - in a democracy, in such a situation, who shud have final say - LG or elected govt??"

Meanwhile, at a press conference here on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia too renewed his attack on Baijal, asking whether the LG was "trying to protect a corrupt system" by returning the Delhi government's proposal for doorstep delivery of public services.

The Aam Aadmi Party-led government's proposal envisages delivery of 40 public services – such as driving licences, caste certificates and new water connections – to the doorstep of citizens.

Hitting out at Baijal, Sisodia wondered whether the LG should have the power to turn down the decisions of an elected government.

"I was pained after reading his note. Is he doing this to try to protect a corrupt system. What is his interest in protecting this corrupt system?" Sisodia told reporters.

He termed the Delhi government's initiative as "super digital delivery system".

Doorstep delivery enables the citizens to avail government services at their doorstep, just with a call on the call centre number.

If approved, no citizen in the national Capital would have to stand in queues to get their job done for the services listed under the scheme.

Initially, the government plans to include 40 services in the scheme on the day of the rollout.

Apart from these 40 services, a minimum 30-35 more services would be added to the scheme every consecutive 30 days from the date of the rollout, till all services are covered.

The LG had sent a 12-point note to the government regarding the scheme which includes many points, such as the need to bridge gap in the digital delivery of services, rather than starting doorstep delivery of services in the digital age.

Another point the LG raised in his note was that making kiosks for services would be a better idea instead of of delivering services at doorstep.

He also said that executives visiting house after house to deliver services would add to traffic in the city and increase pollution and others.

In response to these points, Sisodia said that of the 40 services included at this point in the scheme, 35 are already online and providing digital delivery.

Yet, on an average, 25 lakh people visit government offices for these 40 services annually. "We are starting this scheme to fill this gap," Sisodia said.

Reflecting Sisodia's stand Delhi minister Gopal Rai said, "The LG should rethink the decision and should not follow the instructions of BJP."

Meanwhile, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said that the Delhi government should first introspect the points which the LG has mentioned.