• The Delhi government, which launched its ambitious ‘doorstep delivery of services’ scheme to solve a part of the larger problem in essential service delivery mechanism.

About:

• Under the scheme, Delhiites can avail of up to 40 government services such as getting caste, income, domicile and marriage certificates, new water connections, driving licence, vehicle registration, scholarships and pensions.
• As per the scheme, the government will provide a total of 100 services at the doorstep of citizens. The services will be provided for an extra fee of Rs 50. A private company VFS Global has been onboarded to implement the scheme.
• It will made beneficiary to skipping long queues, and the unnecessary hassle, citizens can now dial 1076 to avail the services.
• After a request is placed, Mobile Sahayaks (Mobile helpers) will reach the applicant’s doorstep to get the necessary details and documents which are needed.
• The mobile sahayak will be equipped with all the necessary equipment for the process including biometric devices, camera and printer. Once the process is completed, the documents will be mailed to the citizen’s house. Hence, citizens will no longer have to rush to cyber cafes or stand in long queues just to get their documents uploaded and recorded.

Background:

• The doorstep delivery of services was in the pipeline for a long time and became a bone of contention between the Delhi Government and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on the ground that the scheme would lead to the additional expenditure of the government.
• However, in January 2018, governor cleared a revised proposal of the scheme, paving the way for the government to provide home delivery facilities.

Significance:

• With this service, the government has made it easier for people to apply for a service.
• It will increase number of people on getting government services as it will create awareness in digital mode. As on the launch day itself, the government received over 25,000 calls from people out of which it could answer only 1,286.
• It will bring new sections of society under the governance sphere including those who are most likely to remain excluded – namely the poor, the illiterate, the differently abled, the indigenous people, the migrants and displaced people. This has led to the fostering of a sense of ownership and the building of social capital, which in turn, constitutes basis for local revitalization. Act as basis of Equity and inclusiveness
• Improve the accessibility, cutting down costs, reducing corruption and extending help and increased access to un-served groups within a reasonable timeframe.
• Chance of Provide new governance services and products based on feedback. Speeding up the flow of information and knowledge between government and citizens and transforming the way in which governments and citizens interact.
• Facilitates more accessible government services, allows greater public access to information, and makes government more accountable to citizens.
• It is a part of the ongoing reform and transformation of government enabling participatory governance and partnerships to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Plays a critical role in sustainable human development and poverty eradication.
• It has been called the bottom-up model where services reach a citizen’s doorstep, thus providing last mile connectivity through a single point and location for various services— education, health, agricultural, banking, utility etc. citizens in a convenient manner.