Punjab has become first state in the country to provide on the spot driving licenses within half an hour after taking actual driving tests as Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today laid the foundation stone of country’s first automated driving test, online license and training centre here.
While interacting with media persons after laying the foundation stone Mr. Badal informed that Punjab is all set to end red-tapism and delay in transport offices by initiating this unique system with all international parameters.
He said as many as 32 ultra modern driving test and training centers were being set up in the state, where applicants could get driving licenses in minimum time without any interaction with district transport offices. He said Punjab has set an example before country to provide on the spot driving through driving tests on international standards driving test tracks. He said these centers would have serpentine and gradient test track for two and four wheelers.
Answering a query Mr. Badal said these centers will have ultra modern gadgets including CCTV cameras, motion sensors and webcasting facility. He said fingerprint scanning and biometric of applicant could be crosschecked before start of test at the centre. He also informed that Maruti-Suzuki India will also run driving training institute on these sites to impart classroom training, simulator training as well as practical training to candidates.
Giving details of governance reforms to take place in coming months, Mr. Badal said Punjab is all set to launch ‘Sewa Kendras’ in July-August under government to citizen (G2C) services, where more than 200 citizen services to be provided to rural as well as urban population. He said by the end of December government to government (G2G) services of all departments will be provided online and people could avail required services on a single click by sitting at their homes.Thanking electorates of Dhuri for giving unprecedented mandate to Shiromani Akali Dal in by-poll, Mr. Badal said it was a stamp of approval on pro-poor, pro-farmers and pro-state policies of the ruling alliance. He also said that unflinching ties of SAD-BJP were unbreakable and the same will pave further way to prosperity and growth in Punjab. He stressed that Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal would again become Chief Minister after assembly elections in 2017.
Welcoming the announcement of Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh to facilitate farmers with a pension of Rs. 5000 per month after the age of sixty, Deputy CM said this will be a landmark decision and such benefits will boost the morale of our farmers as the peasantry were facing severe crisis.
On being asked about setting up of any corpus fund for fresh survey to get the actual numbers of debt-ridden farmers committed suicide in the state, Mr. Badal termed it a national issue and said as Center could play a vital role on this issue. He said we will take up the issue with Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh to chalk out a comprehensive plan in this regard as Center fixes input prices and minimum support prices of crops.When asked about the ongoing procurement and lifting arrangements in the state, Mr. Badal said authorities concerned have been conveyed to ensure smooth flow of wheat procurement, lifting vis-à-vis availability of requisite amenities for farmers. He assured as per the arrangements the procurement and lifting process will completely be hassle free.
Answering another query regarding Bathinda sewerage project, Mr. Badal clarified that the work allocation was on the advanced stage of completion and it will be awarded to world’s one of the renowned company. He said the company will run the high quality operations and maintenance for 10 years.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Transport Minister Mr. Ajit Singh Kohar, MLA Mr. Darshan Singh Kot Fatta, Secretary Transport Mr. Anurag Aggarwal, State Tranport commissioner Mr. Ashwani Kumar and senior officers of transport department.
Locations where automated centers to be established--Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Fazilka, Batala (Gurdaspur), Hoshiarpur, Jagraon (Ludhiana), Khanna (Ludhiana), Ludhiana-I and Ludhiana-II, Mansa, Nawan Shahr, Pathankot, Patiala, Malerkotla (Sangrur), Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Dasuya (Hoshiarpur), Phillaur (Jalandhar), Mohali, Muktsar, Moga, Phagwara (Kapurthala), Rupnagar, Kapurthala, Patran (Patiala), Sangrur and Abohar (Fazilka).