Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann launch doorstep delivery of services in Punjab

Ludhiana: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Sunday launched a state government scheme to deliver citizen-centric services at people's doorstep, with the senior leader calling it a hammer blow on corruption.

Under the 'Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar' scheme, people will get 43 services, including certificates of birth, marriage, death, income, residence, caste, rural area, border area, backward area, pension, payment of electricity bills and land demarcation.

Addressing a gathering here after the launch of the scheme, Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal called it 'revolutionary'.

Lauding the Mann government, Kejriwal said it was taking steps one after another against corruption and is conducting raids against and arresting big leaders who 'looted' Punjab in the last 75 years.

He said freedom fighters did not sacrifice their lives for people to face harassment at government offices even after freedom.

They sacrificed their lives so that people get good education, quality health, medicines, roads and electricity, said the Delhi CM.

But in the last 75 years, with the kind of system in the country, people face a lot of harassment at government offices for getting even a small work done, he said.

"The work that is going to commence in Punjab is no less than a revolution. It is a revolutionary step," said Kejriwal.

He spoke about the plight of people visiting government offices for getting their work done.

They have to stand in long queues, take leaves, skip farm work and even pay money to then middleman to get their work done, he said.

"Today, the work which is going to start in Punjab, you now do not need to go to offices. Your work will be done at your doorsteps," he added.

Kejriwal said as many as 43 government services will be delivered at the doorstep, covering around 99 per cent services by the state government. He said the day is not far when 100 per cent government services will be available to people at their doorsteps.

He said to avail these services, people will have to dial 1076 and they will be then asked to schedule their appointments according to their convenience to get their work done, he said.

He said his government started this service in Delhi in September 2018 and lakhs of people have availed it.

"If the governments of Delhi and Punjab could do this, then why was this work not done by the governments of other parties in the last 75 years. If the Delhi government could do this five years back, why then governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra did not do this till now? Their intention is bad," he alleged.

He said the money which people pay to middlemen for getting the work done reaches an officer, a minister and a chief minister.

"Money you pay for birth, death certificates, and ration cards directly reaches up till a chief minister," he said.

"You have elected an honest government in Punjab. You have chosen an honest chief minister in Punjab… we do not take money," said Kejriwal.

The AAP chief the Mann government was taking successive steps against corruption.

"Big fish were caught. Big leaders who looted money in 75 years, were raided and arrested. He (Mann) is not scared of any one, he is courageous. Whosoever looted Punjab, be it any party, will be put behind bars," he said.

Whosoever looted Punjab's money, will be taken back from them and will be spent on people, building schools and hospitals, said Kejriwal.

"The step being taken today is the biggest hammer blow on corruption in Punjab by the Bhagwant Mann government. Coming generations will remember this," he said.

Speaking before him, Mann said from now onwards, the inconvenience and humiliation of the common man in the government offices will end forever. He said he and his MLAs will regularly keep a tab on the scheme so that it benefits the common man.

All of them will conduct inspections at the government offices thereby facilitating the common man, said Mann.

Mann said only two or three families ruled the state during the past 25 years and ruin it for their vested personal interests.

These families ran the state as per their own “whims and fancies” just to exploit the people of the state, he said.