Minister of State for Transport Sunil Kumar Sharma said that the Motor Vehicles Department has achieved another milestone towards digitization in all its units across the state and efforts are afoot to provide online service delivery to bring more transparency and accountability in the working of the department. He was speaking after inaugurating State's First Online Learner License Test facility at RTO office in Kathua (Lakhanpur) today.He said that with a meager manpower of nearly 200 people, the Motor Vehicle Department despite all constraints is marching ahead with its e-governance mission offering various online services .Kathua district has achieved rare feat of becoming first district in the state having Online Learner License Test Facility. He said the facility will not only bring transparency but also ensure that a prospective driver get acquainted with road signages and rules of road regulations. After successfully launching the facility in Kathua, the department is making endeavour to replicate it in all the districts of the state within a period of two to three months.After a successful response in RTO Kathua office , the department is also taking up the task of Home delivery of Driving License and other documents for which a MOU shall be signed with Postal Department to extend the facility across the state to reduce the user interface.The Minister said Transport department has taken up the task to strengthen the SRTC for which new fleet of vehicle will be added into the strength. He said new AC coaches shall also be in offing through private partnership mode to improve the service standards.He informed that department is also working towards setting up a Modren Automated Driving Track at Kathua under e-governance initiative of the department.
He said track will help in conducting the test of competence for issuing Driving License through use of technology without any human intervention. He directed DC Kathua Ramesh Kumar to provide suitable land near RTO Kathua office building to develop this facility.RTO Kathua Amarjeet Singh in his welcome address informed the gathering that Kathua is the first district in the State to launch online service of learners liscense test through Sarathi 4.0 which is an online version developed by MoRTH, GoI wherein applicant can apply for driving liscense through online mode on the website parivahan.gov.in and fee payment can also be made online. The applicant then chooses a date as per his convenience and visits the office for online LL test on the appointed date. He has to correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions to pass the test. Thereafter approval is granted online and applicant can take printout of his Learner License at his place without visiting the office.On the occasion a medical cum Eye check camp was also organised for the visitors where driver and applicants availed the consultation of specialist doctors.Representatives of Truck Union, Mini Bus association, Jammu Kathua Bus Union apprised the minister with their problems and demands responding to which the Minister assured that their issues will be looked into for redressal .Commissioner Secretary Transport, Hemant Kumar Sharma, Transport Commissioner, Saugat Biswas, Joint Transport Commissioner, RTO Jammu, ARTO Kathua and large number of people were also present on the occasion.