Right to Public Services

Event Date: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025

As part of its ongoing commitment to civic education and participatory governance, Mumbai First successfully conducted the fifth session under its flagship Mumbai Happenings series on May 14, 2025, at the MMRDA Auditorium, BKC, Mumbai. This was the first session held in the suburban region, reflecting Mumbai First’s strategic efforts to expand outreach and foster inclusive public dialogue across the metropolitan area.

The session focused on creating awareness about the Maharashtra Right to Public Services Act, 2015 (RTS Act) — a landmark legislation that ensures time-bound delivery of public services to citizens and promotes accountability and transparency within government departments.

The event witnessed an impressive turnout, with over 180 participants including students, NGOs, civic stakeholders, and engaged citizens. The audience actively participated in the discussions, offering feedback, asking pertinent questions, and directly interacting with senior government officers — a true example of participatory governance in action.

The session was graced by an eminent panel comprising:

Shri Manu Kumar Srivastava, IAS (Retd) – Chief Commissioner, Maharashtra State Commission for Right to Services
Shri Baldev Singh, IAS (Retd) – State Commissioner for Right to Service, Konkan Revenue Division
Shri Dilip Shinde, IAS (Retd) – State Commissioner for Right to Service, Pune Revenue Division

The discussion was moderated by Mr. Sanjay Ubale, Executive Board Member of Mumbai First.

A key feature of the program was the live demonstration of the Aaple Sarkar Seva Portal, led by Shri Dilip Shinde, where citizens were shown how to apply for services, track application status, and escalate grievances when necessary. The demonstration was especially valuable in bridging the digital divide, supported by the fact that 39,783 Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras have been set up across Maharashtra to assist citizens who may not be digitally equipped.

Significant announcements were made during the session, including:

Inclusion of RTS as a chapter in 9th and 10th standard textbooks, to institutionalize awareness from a young age
Development of a mobile-friendly RTS application to enhance ease of access
Cumulative statistics shared from the Aaple Sarkar Seva Portal, which has received over 18.89 crore applications, with more than 17.79 crore applications successfully disposed of.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, where citizens received direct, informed responses from the panel. The overall engagement, strong attendance, and the dynamic exchange of ideas marked this session as a significant success in advancing civic literacy and enhancing transparency in public service delivery.

Mumbai First remains committed to its mission of enabling a more informed, empowered, and participative citizenry across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region through knowledge-sharing platforms like the Mumbai Happenings series.