Right to Public Service Act – Ensuring Citizen Right to Public Service
Background
During the 1990s and early 2000s, Citizen Charters attempted to guarantee public service delivery,
but implementation remained inconsistent. To ensure transparency and accountability, the Government of Bihar introduced
a legal framework under its Good Governance agenda.
In 2011, the Bihar Right to Public Services Act was enacted to provide citizens with
time-bound, transparent and accountable delivery of government services.
Aim & Objectives
- Ensure transparent public service delivery.
- Fix responsibility on designated government officials.
- Provide time-bound services to citizens.
- Enable appeal mechanism and penalty provisions for delays.
- Strengthen citizen rights under Good Governance initiatives.
Coverage
Initially, 50 high-demand services from about 10 departments were notified under the Act,
including caste, income and residence certificates, licenses, permits and land documents.
Currently, 153 services are covered under RTPS.
Implementation
Implementation was led by Bihar Prashasanik Sudhar Mission Society (BPSMS).
An ICT-based tracking system named “Adhikar” was developed for end-to-end service monitoring.
Around 1000 IT-enabled staff were recruited and trained before launch on Independence Day 2011.
Monitoring & Reforms
Districts are ranked using SMART indicators (Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Relevant and Timely).
Regular monitoring, surprise inspections, digital tracking and suo-moto action against delays
have strengthened accountability and reduced middlemen practices.
RTPS Online Appeal Portal
The RTPS Online Appeal Portal was launched on 25 July 2025 to enable citizens to file appeals
and revision petitions digitally. The portal provides paperless processing,
digital signatures, SMS/email alerts and online status tracking.
✔ Appeals disposed within 15 working days
✔ Digitally authenticated orders
✔ Transparent dashboard monitoring
Achievements (Till Feb 2026)
52.26 Cr
Total Applications
51.99 Cr
Delivered (99.47%)
18.29 L
Appeals Disposed (99.7%)
Penal action resulted in fines worth ₹2.38 crore imposed on 2,097 employees and nearly 375 middlemen arrested.
Several states including Rajasthan, Karnataka, Odisha and West Bengal visited Bihar to study the model.