New Delhi, Sep 2 : Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has stressed on the implementation of a strong citizen''s charter under which a government officer will be responsible and answerable to a citizen within a time frame, failing which strict penal action would be taken against him or her.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Dikshit said: "The citizen''s charter will be actually implemented from September 15, taking into considerations all rules and regulations."

Highlighting the implementation of the citizen''s charter, she stressed that it would be updated in government offices.

"I think around 50 to 55 government departments in Delhi have citizens charter. However, they have not been updated. All of those will now be updated. After this the officer concerned will be responsible and he will be answerable within a time frame. If he/she doesn''t do so then a penalty would be applied after which appropriate action would be taken against him/her, if he still fails to provide answer," she added.

The main objective of the exercise is improving the quality of public services.

The proposed penalty on the concerned officials would include curtailment of pay and perks to the responsible staff manning the department.

Earlier, the Parliament has adopted a resolution on anti-graft activist Anna Hazare''s key demands for a strong Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill that would include the incorporation of citizens'' charter.(ANI)