The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India in Collaboration with Department of Public Policy and Public Administration (DPP&PA), Central University of Jammu (CUJ) has organised two-day National Workshop on Public Service Delivery-Implementation on Right to Services Act in States on 11-12 November 2016 at Fortune Inn Rivera, Jammu. More than 40 delegates including state secretaries and directors from 20 states have participated in the workshop.

The national workshop which is perhaps the first of its kind happened in the J&K would enable the participants to share their experiences and best practices of how the public service delivery system works and the implementation strategies of the Right to Services Act. Consequently, event will derive important inputs for states which may be considering the implementation of the “Right to Services Act” and also for the central government where a scheme on the subject is already under consideration.

The workshop would include presentations given by higher level government officers and senior faculty from Administrative Training Institutess. It would also include experts from various states of India who are concerned with capacity building and whose combined experience and interest will help in improving public service delivery to the last mile. The workshop will be divided into different sessions and will include panel discussions and presentations by the participating states.

As part of the events, a press conference was jointly addressed by Professor Ashok Aima, Vice-chancellor Central university of Jammu, and C. Viswanath, Union Secretary, DARPG and Shrimati Usha Sharma, Additional Secretary, DARPG here today.

Professor Ashok Aima appreciates the DARPG for associating with and trusting this young university to jointly organise the significant national workshop in which dignitaries across length and breadth of the country are participating. He highlighted the role of universities to contribute to realising the idea of Reform, Perform and Transform.

C. Viswanath, Union Secretary, DARPG congratulated the Vice Chancellor for taking such initiatives and mentioned that this is the first time that the DARPG is conducting a workshop with any university in the country. He stated that the focus of the workshop is based on citizen centric governance through transparency and accountability. During his briefing, he also touches upon corruption, innovation, reform, perform and transform in the system of governance.

Elevating the significance of the event, a cultural programme was organised at the J&K Police Auditorium which was performed by professional artist under Shri Balwant Thakhur (Padamshree Awardee) from the NATRANG. The workshop will be graced by the presence of Dr Jitendra Singh Minister of State, Prime Minister Office, Government of India on the second day of the event 12 November 2016.