Chandigarh residents may now have to loosen their purse strings a little more for availing government public services. All services provided at e-sampark centres in Chandigarh will now cost money from Dec 1.
The UT Administration is planning to levy charges for 18 services which were free till now.
Who will not pay?
If you want to avoid paying the surcharge. you can install the e-sampark mobile app, use internet banking or debit card. However, 70-80 pc people in Chandigarh deposit their bills by visiting the e-sampark centres.
LIST OF CHARGES
Birth certificate: Rs 25
Death certificate: Rs 25
Scheduled Caste certificate: Rs 20
Backward Class certificate: Rs 20
Payment of electricity/ water/sewerage bills: Rs 25
Tenant verification: Rs 25
Booking of tubewells: Rs 25
Aadhar card application: Rs 20
VAT/ CST returns; Rs 25
Tax payment: Rs 25
The proposal for the levy has come from the Society for Promotion of IT in Chandigarh (SPIC), set up under the aegis of the Department of Information Technology. So far, the UT administration had been bearing the cost of 12 services provided at e-sampark centres.
Who was footing the bill till now?
The IT Department was not paying any fee to SPIC for five services of the Social Welfare Department and one service of the Treasury Department.
Twelve other services are being supported by the Department of Information Technology. The department is paying Rs 25 per service transaction to SPIC for four services offered by the Municipal Corporation, two offered by the police, one offered by the Estate Office, three services offered by the Electricity Department and two services of the Excise and Taxation Department.
