Most govt services online by I-Day in state; daily fines for defaulting depts

Nagpur: In a major push towards transparent and citizen-centric governance, the state govt has announced that most public services will be made available online by the upcoming Independence Day. This move comes under the Maharashtra Right to Public Services Act, 2015, aimed at ensuring prompt, transparent, and accountable service delivery.
Currently, 1,027 services across 33 govt departments are notified under the Act, out of which 583 services are already online. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis directed that the remaining services also be transitioned online by August 15, according to guardian minister and revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Bawankule shared this update through a congratulatory message during the Right to Services Day celebrations held at Niyojan Bhavan in Nagpur.
The event marked the 10th anniversary of the Maharashtra Right to Public Services Act as this year it was officially declared that April 28 in Maharashtra will be observed as Right to Public Services Day.
Bawankule emphasised the mandatory display of service details — including time limits, fees, designated officers, and appellate authorities — on notice boards at every govt office. Highlighting the role of technology, he noted that all services are accessible via the state govt's portal Aaple Sarkar, with around 40,000 Aaple Seva Kendras operating statewide. The govt also plans to double this number to further improve access.
Meanwhile, at another state-level ‘Decade of Implementation' event at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that govt departments that fail to implement online services by August 15 will face a fine of Rs1,000 per day for every pending service.
Fadnavis also proposed including the Right to Public Services Act in the school syllabus to ensure students learn about citizen rights early. Highlighting the success of tech-driven governance, he said the face verification app has already halved the crowd at Mantralaya, showing how digital tools can ease citizens' lives.
Fadnavis stressed that true governance is not just about creating laws but ensuring citizens feel the change in their daily lives. He said making all services accessible through WhatsApp and updating all information on official websites would drastically cut down complaints and make public service more efficient and transparent.
Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde called the Act ‘the Gangotri of democracy', emphasizing that it builds a bridge of trust between citizens and govt. Chief secretary Sujata Saunik announced a new partnership with Microsoft to accelerate Maharashtra's digital governance journey and ensure faster, transparent service delivery.
Padma Shri awardee Shankar Mahadevan and actress Sonali Kulkarni were introduced as brand ambassadors to spread public awareness about service rights.