"Dignity of citizens restored by doing away with affidavits":Sukhbir Singh Badal

Punjab first state to implemented “affidavits free people”

5 Dariya News

Chandigarh 13-Feb-2016

In doing away with affidavits under governance reforms the Punjab had won accolades at national level even Prime Minister had awarded the State with ‘better administrative governance award' for adopting this unique approach mandatory for getting 89 public services. The Union government and few other states have also adopted this one of its kind practice thereby putting a stamp of appreciation on this brainchild initiative of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal who have implemented various governance reforms in the state in all the departments.Disclosing this, an official spokesman said this novel practice was executed by S. Sukhbir Singh Badal 5 years ago so as to make sure hassle free procedure of providing services to people. In consequence of which, Punjab became first state in country to abolish affidavits in 2010 almost in all type of services other than 11 services for which an affidavit is mandatory under state and central laws.

Commenting on this special initiative, Deputy CM, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal said as part of an exercise to bridge gap between government and citizens, practice of submitting affidavits for all services except where legally mandatory, had been abolished. He says "Earlier people had to undergo a lot of hassles both financial and psychological to get affidavits made. So, in order to restore dignity of citizens, this practice has been bid good bye"."The 'affidavit-free regime' in the replacement of affidavits with a self-attested declaration for all need-based services was the first step towards bridging the trust deficit between the government and the citizens", S. Badal said.Deputy CM said he had already told Punjab Governance Reforms Commission and top bureaucrats during the meetings that all obsolete and antiquated laws which hold up progress and delay decision-making must be identified and removed at the earliest. He informed that to do away with the colonial-era legislations Punjab had undertaken unique initiatives regarding investment promotion projects. "The setting up of Punjab Investment Promotion Bureau having power of 23 departments for approval of new projects has got compliments at national level and other states are following this practise now. Even foreign investors have shown keen interest to learn this unique initiative", he informed.

The spokesman said that according to data compiled by the Punjab Governance Reforms Department, as many as 14.88 lakh affidavits were filed by the citizens to get government services in 2009-10 now the number of affidavits fell to below to merely one lakh. That amounts to an annual savings of more than Rs 600 crore for the people.He informed that earlier, practice of sworn affidavits before magistrate or notary public was followed for legal documents purpose in respect of profession, income, caste, and residential proof. "So much so that even for availing services like-ration card, electricity, sewerage and water connection, birth and death certificates and admissions in educational institutions, a sworn affidavit attested by a gazetted officer, public notary or magistrate was mandatory", he added.The spokesman said in respect of duplicate registration certificate, duplicate license, releasing subsidy on agricultural implements, loans under Prime Minister rozgar yojna, cancellation of hire-purchase agreement, backward area certificate, freedom fighter certificate, dependent certificate, police clearance certificate, jobs on compassionate ground and many other services also, this practice of affidavits stands abolished.