West Bengal’s public service panel inactive, RTI reply reveals

The State commission to ensure delivery of public services has been inactive since its inception in 2015, an RTI reply by the West Bengal government has revealed.

The West Bengal Right to Public Service Commission has not conducted any hearing since its inception and is unable to provide any information about it through RTI, an activist claimed. The RTI queries were filed by Kolkata-based Biswanath Goswami.

The government formed the WBRTPS Commission in 2015 under an Act to ensure “delivery of public services to the people...within the stipulated time.” To ensure delivery of services, the commission is expected to conduct periodical investigation, hold hearings and deliver reports to the government.

Responding to Mr. Goswami’s query seeking the “cause list for hearing/business etc.,” the Consumer Affairs Department said the commission has not conducted any hearing on public grievances.

As for Mr. Goswami’s query regarding the current and past professional engagements and regular source of income of the Chief Commissioner and the Commissioner the department suggested him to conduct a “Google Search.” “I sought information about the current and past professional engagement of the Chief Commissioner and Commissioner, and the government has sent a copy of Wikipedia page to me,” Mr. Goswami said.

Minister Sadhan Pande told The Hindu that he was “not aware” of the RTI reply.