Delhi CM Kejriwal launches doorstep delivery of 40 public services

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on September 10 launched the doorstep delivery of 40 services in Delhi, including marriage certificates, driving licenses and water connection documents.  While calling this Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s scheme a “revolutionary, historic step”, CM Kejriwal tweeted “We always heard of pizza being home-delivered, but now one can dial the government and the government will come home.”

Under the scheme, documents such as ration cards and income, caste and marriage certificates, domicile and duplicate registration papers will be delivered to citizen at their homes. Citizens will also be able to sign up for old age and handicap pension schemes from their homes.

This service will be provided for an extra fee of Rs 50.

For any related service, citizens can dial 1076 to place a request. They will be informed of the documents they need, and can give a time when a “Mobile Sahayak” can come and collect them.

AAP government has enlisted a private company, VFS Global, an outsourcing and technology services provider to facilitate the services.

“We have five mobile sahayaks in each of the 11 districts of Delhi. We plan to have 25,000 such facilitators,”said Debkumar Bandopadhyay of VFS.

According to the plan, hired mobile sahayaks will visit people’s homes to collect the information required for the government to issue them the documents and services they have applied for.

While questioning the authenticity of private firm VFS, Puja Bahri, spokesperson of the Delhi Congress, said, “Of the 40 services, 35 are already online, so why not improve those? Also, does the private company come under the RTI or is it accountable to the people in any way.”