Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday approved a three-month waiver of government fees and facilitation charges for several key citizen services to ease the financial burden on people obtaining documents required for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the waiver will remain in force from July 1 to September 30, 2026, and is aimed at ensuring that citizens can obtain the necessary documents for the SIR process without incurring additional costs.
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Under the decision, government fees and facilitation charges have been waived for a range of essential services, including the issuance of caste certificates, residence certificates, birth certificates, duplicate Class X and Class XII certificates, along with other notified services.
The waiver will apply to services delivered through Seva Kendras, Doorstep Delivery and the Online Citizen Services Portal during the three-month period.
The Cabinet has authorised the concerned administrative departments to issue the necessary notifications, instructions and operational guidelines to implement the decision. The Department of Good Governance and Information Technology, along with other concerned departments, has also been empowered to take all consequential steps required for its effective implementation.
The Punjab Government will bear the financial cost arising from the waiver of government fees and facilitation charges during the period.
‘SIR INCREASED CITIZENS SEEKING DOCUMENTS’
Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has led to a significant increase in the number of citizens seeking documents such as residence certificates, caste certificates, birth certificates and educational certificates for submission before the concerned authorities.
He said the Bhagwant Mann-led government decided to waive the charges from July 1 to September 30 to ensure that no citizen faces a financial burden while obtaining the documents required during the electoral roll revision exercise.
The state government said the measure is intended to facilitate the documentation process for citizens during the SIR exercise and ensure timely access to essential public services. It added that all implementing departments have been directed to ensure the smooth rollout of the waiver across service delivery platforms during the specified period.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
