Negligence by women and child development office, RTS commission imposes fine

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): The Haryana Right to Service (RTS) Commission has taken strict action over serious negligence by the Women and Child Development Department office in Nuh district. The commission imposed a fine of ₹15,000 on the concerned assistant and ordered compensation of ₹5,000 to be paid to the complainant for violation of the RTS time limit.

A resident of Nuh had approached the commission, stating that he applied on time under a Women and Child Development Department scheme but received the benefit after a long delay despite the prescribed RTS period. During the inquiry, it was found that the scheme benefit was provided after a delay of more than six months, which is against the spirit of the Haryana Right to Service Act.

According to the commission spokesperson, the application was submitted on the Saral Portal on July 25, 2024. However, due to failure in generating the required unique code on time, payment could only be made on April 16, 2025. Despite repeated reminders from the District Programme Officer (DPO), Nuh, the WCDPO Nuh-2 office did not issue the unique code within the stipulated period.

During the hearing, the commission held the assistant primarily responsible for the delay. It also observed that the assistant’s conduct on the day of hearing reflected negligence towards official duties. Exercising powers under Section 17(1)(h) of the Haryana Right to Service Act, 2014, the RTS Commission imposed a ₹15,000 penalty and directed payment of ₹5,000 as compensation to the complainant.

The total amount of ₹20,000 will be recovered from the assistant’s salary, out of which ₹15,000 will be deposited in the state treasury and ₹5,000 will be paid to the complainant.

The commission has directed the DPO, Nuh, to submit a compliance report with documentary proof. It has also sought clarification regarding the charge held by the WCDPO during the relevant period and asked for an explanation from the responsible officer. The commission made it clear that even if an employee is appointed under the disability quota, timely delivery of services remains a mandatory responsibility. Any unnecessary delay in providing benefits to eligible beneficiaries will not be tolerated, and strict action will be taken in future cases.