Delhi government stands exposed in its commitment for effective implementation of time bound delivery of services legislation. A latest media report shows that even after nine months of its enactment - on 15 September 2011 - the citizens lack awareness.

Not even a single claim has been made (by the citizens) for compensating the delay in service delivery, although 1.70 lakh applicants were eligible for claiming the same, the report in one of the national daily said. 

Till June this year, the government monitored the status of 20 lakh applications received under the Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services Act, 2011, since its enactment. Out of this, 16 lakh applications were disposed of in time. However, 58,000 applications were still pending by the end of the last month. The report also made a mention of the transport department as the worst performer among the other line departments.

The legislation was introduced as a face-saver at a time when Delhi chief minister, Sheila Dikshit, was under severe criticism for various mis-management issues during commonwealth games. The government’s apathy towards its implementation nine months later corroborates the same.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Delhi government senior official said that with a few exceptions, most of the line departments have been less receptive of the act, which aims to raise accountability and efficiency in the government machinery.

As a nodal agency the information technology department monitors the act through an online system, also called as electronic service level agreement (e-SLA), under which each department enters the number of applications received, disposed of and  the pendency on a daily basis. However, the official accused, the nodal officials for e-SLA with line departments manipulate the date of disposal while punching the data on the e-SLA portal. This means, while the services are being delivered quite late in reality, the disposal of applications/services reflected on eSLA portal, in most of the, cases is on time.