J&K government cuts through red tape—enables people to smoothly access government services

In order to curtail red-tapism and inordinate delays and to ensure quick services delivery, the Government in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has on Tuesday brought 43 more services under the purview of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), 2011, along with their timelines, designated officers and appellate authorities. 

With the new incorporation, more than a hundred government services are now available to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir within an assured timeframe of 5 to 45 days. While 18 services had been added to the list in July 2021, 6 more services were notified under PSGA in January 2022. With these inclusions, as many as 67 government services have been made time-bound in the UT in the last 16 months.

Section 4 of the J&K PSGA-2011 states that the Government may, from time to time, specify the services to be the public services for purposes of the Act and shall specify the time limit within which such services shall be provided to the eligible persons.

Sub-Section 2 of Section 4 reads: “For providing services specified under Sub-Section (I), the Government may for different areas and for different services designate officers who shall be responsible for providing each of such services to the eligible persons”. Section 8 states that the Government may by notification in the Government Gazette, designate officers who shall be First Appellate Authorities and Second Appellate Authorities in respect of each public service.

In exercise of these powers, the Government has now notified 43 more services of seven key departments and specified the timeframe for providing the same besides designating Appellate Authorities. These departments include Industries and Commerce Department, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Revenue Department, Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, Jal Shakti Department, Health and Medical Education Department, Information Technology Department and Labour and Employment Department.

The services of the Industries and Commerce Department, which have been brought under the purview of PSGA, are assessment of raw material and finished goods; prior permission for additional products; prior permission for substantial expansion and additional line of activity; change in location; change in name and style; transfer of leasehold rights; merger of units; change in constitution; subsidy on DG set under Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy 2021-30; reimbursement on quality certificate under J&K Industrial Policy 2021-30; subsidy on cost of automation under J&K Industrial Policy; subsidy on following green and environment protection initiative and turnover incentives under Industrial Policy.

The timeframe for providing these services ranges between 15 days to 45 days and designated officers are General Manager of District Industries Centre concerned while as Director Industries and Administrative Secretary of the department are the First and Second Appellate Authorities.

The certification of verification and re-verification of weights and measures; registration of manufacturer/ packer/ importer under Packaged Commodities Rules; issuance of license to dealer of weights and measures; renewal of license to dealers of weights and measures; issuance of license to manufacturer of weights and measures etc are the services of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs which have been brought under the purview of PSGA.

The timeframe for providing all these services is 30 days while as concerned Area Inspector of Legal Metrology is the designated officer.

Likewise, change of land use; issuance of domicile certificate, character certificate, income certificate for economically weaker section, legal heir certificate and marriage certificate are the services of the Revenue Department which have been notified under PSGA. Timeframe for providing these services is between 15 days to 45 days.

The services of Forest, Ecology and Environment Department which have been brought under the ambit of PSGA are registration for dealers under the Batteries (Management and Handling Rules, 2001; authorization under Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016; authorization under Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016; services under wood- based industry; registration of timber sale depot and certificate of non-forest land etc. The timeframe for these services range between 30 days to 120 days.

Obtaining water connection (domestic and commercial) and NOC for water extraction from Central Ground water Authority are the services of Jal Shakti Department which have been brought under the ambit of PSGA while as generation of Ayushman Bharat card by Health and Medical Education Department, ROW permission by Information Technology Department and approval of registration of boiler manufacturers and renewal of registration by the Labour and Employment Department have also been brought under PSGA ambit.

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