Sakala Services has brought credibility and accountability to government services

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Sep 20, 2014:  Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) Zonal Commissioner and District Training Institute Principal (inCharge) Prameela, delivering keynote address atn the inaugural ceremony of the two day training programme for group A and group B officers of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat on Sakala, jointly organised by Administrative Training Institute, Mysore and District Training Institute, Mangalore, at Zilla Panchayat in Kottara here on September 19, stated,  Karnataka Sakala Services Act 2011 has brought credibility and accountability to government services.

 

 

Further, she said that 30 teams of resource persons have trained 1070 officials on Sakala in undivided Dakshina Kannada and 500 more people will be trained as a part of the process.

It is more like a workshop than the training, where officials can discuss about the loopholes of the Act and suggest ideas to strengthen it. “It is high time to think that people are our customers and we have to give our best service to our customers. Every official need to introspect in this regard,”

669 services under Sakala :   In his inaugural speech, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu said that Sakala helps to provide service within a time limit.  In 2011, when the Act was introduced at Puttur taluk,11 departments started providing around 151 services. Within one year, the Act was extended to all other taluks and now, around 669 services are being offered to public by 50 departments.

It includes 136 services of education department and 49 services of revenue department, the ADC said. Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Umesh said that Sakal has helped to bring transparency in government services.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that there is confusion among public about number of days required to officials to provide each service under Sakala. Value addition

Resource Person, Balmatta B.Ed College Lecturer Ashok Kamath stressed on the need for an effective front desk in government offices to provide information to public, along with better guidance and  behaviour with customers, value addition to service is necessary.

Though performance should be good, for better service delivery, the communication between staffs is very important in an office. Technology plays very important role in improving service. Credibility, reliability, responsiveness, security, tangibles and the skill of knowing a customer can also play a vital role, he said.