Punjab Governance Reforms Commission

The Punjab Governance Reforms Commission (PGRC) was set up first on 8th Jan, 2009 and again reconstituted in 2012 by the Punjab Government under the chairmanship of Dr. Parmod Kumar, a renowned social scientist and Director, Institute for Development and Communication, Chandigarh. The main objective of the Commission is to improve the welfare of the disadvantaged, marginalized and deprived sections in Punjab and to suggest changes in the process, procedures, rules regulations and design of the public services. Another important objective of the Commission is to make paradigm shift in governance from colonial working when "citizens were not trusted by the government, and services were provided as doles or khirat and citizens were treated like Riaia and administration as Mai Baap.

Contents

• Reports
• Servics under Right to Service ActRTS Punjab
• References

The mandate of the Commission is to reduce the mistrust between the citizens and the government and protect dignity of citizens by identifying spaces, policies, processes and practices which perpetuate undignified exchange between the citizens and the state." The Commission has submitted nine reports to the state Government and government has simplified and notified 206 services। These services are to be provided under Right to Service Act 2011 enacted on the basis of recommendations of the PGRC. Out of these services 32 services relate to the home department, 30 services of health, 28 of local government, 14 of power and electricity, 12 of revenue, 14 of agricultural and mandi board, 9 each of social security and transport, 8 of technical education, 7 relate to welfare of SCs and BCs. All these services are delivered through Suvidha Centres, Farad Kendras and Sanjh Kendras specifically created for this purpose at district and sub district level.

On the recommendation of the PGRC the State Government is creating 2174 Unified Citizen Service Delivery Centres (UCSDCs) in the State to further improve accessibility of services to the citizen both in rural and urban areas.।Composition, Reports and activities of PGRC are available at its website.। Abolition of non-statutory affidavits in the state is one of the most important and well acknowledged recommendation of the Commission for which Punjab has been conferred the "best governance practice" award by Government of India।. Punjab is the first state in India to abolish non-statutory affidavits.other important recommendations of the Commission implemented by the State Government in the field of governance relates to enactment of Punjab Right to Service Act 2011। and formation of Punjab Right to Service Commission to ensure delivery of services to the citizens in a time bound manner.। To implement the recommendations of the PGRC notified under Punjab Right To Service Act 2011 the State Government has created a specific Department of Governance Refornms।