444 services unavailable on ‘aaple sarkar' portal despite digital push
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Pune: Even though state govt continues to promote digitisation and time-bound delivery of public services under the Maharashtra Right to Public Service Act, 2015, a significant chunk — over 400 notified facilities — are yet to come on 'aaple sarkar RTS portal', data shows.
Of the 1,027 services notified under the Act across 29 departments, only 583 are currently available online. The remaining 444 services continue to operate offline, defeating the very purpose of a seamless, transparent, and paperless system promised to people, officials said.
Among the departments that are yet to completely switch to digital mode are animal husbandry, medical education and drugs, education, Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, state excise, and transport.
"The deadline to digitise all notified services is Aug 15. However, we have urged all departments to speed up the process and integrate the services with the portal as soon as possible. Otherwise the services delivery cannot be tracked," a senior govt official said.
Another official said people can either submit their application sitting at home or use the 40000 seva kendras across the state. However, citizen groups claim that many kendras are either non-functional or offer limited support, further weakening the last-mile delivery.
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"My daughter wanted her domicile certificate and despite trying to upload documents from home, we faced technical glitches," Meera Mohan, a home maker, said.
Kartika K, a medical student, had to approach a kendra or citizen facilitation centre to apply for income generation certificate. "While some services are online, there are many departments that have not uploaded the services."
Recently, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis set Aug 15 as the deadline for full digitisation, warning that non-compliance would attract Rs1,000 in fine per day for each offline service.
Amendment planned
State govt is mulling an amendment to the RTS Act to introduce compensation for people affected by delays in services delivery, officials said. The proposed clause, based on the model practised in Haryana, would hold officials accountable and ensure applicats are reimbursed for missed deadlines. An automatic escalation of unresolved cases is also under review.
Since the Act came into effect in 2015, state has processed 18.89 crore service requests, with 17.79 crore resolved, data shows. Initiatives like 'Sevadhoot', a doorstep delivery programme, have gained traction statewide, underscoring the public's growing demand for accessible, tech-enabled governance. This will be replicated across Maharashtra, officials said.
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