Punjab adopts new model to run sewa kendras in state; move will save ₹200-cr in 5 years

Chandigarh, September 22:

          In a bid to ensure seamless services to residents of state in transparent manner as per the commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Government on Friday approved the award of contract to newly selected service operator to run 535 Sewa Kendras in the state.

          Doing away with the earlier revenue sharing model, this time the contract has been shifted to transaction based model, the move which is expected to save around Rs 200 crores taxpayers' money in next five years.

          While handing-over the award letter to representatives of M/s TerraCIS Technologies Limited after the meeting of Board of Governors (BoGs) of Punjab State e-Governance Society here at his office, Punjab Governance Reforms and Public Grievances Minister Mr Aman Arora said that the new service operator has been selected in a transparent and time-bound manner to operate, maintain and manage Sewa Kendras in the state for next five years.

          As per the new contract, the entrusted operator will provide all the IT (desktop, computers, scanners etc.) and non-IT infrastructure (ACs and water-coolers), which was, earlier, being provided by the Government at each Sewa Kendra.

          "This new contract has also paved a way for door-step delivery services to the residents of Punjab as promised by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann," said Mr. Aman Arora, while adding that the state government is all set to roll-out its ambitious door-step delivery of services, being provided at Sewa Kendras in Punjab. Currently, over 430 services are being provided to the citizens via Sewa Kendras and the door-step delivery of all pivotal services including marriage certificates, birth & death certificates, caste, income and area certificates etc. will be started soon.

          He further stated that with new transaction rates quoted by the selected service operator, the state government is likely to save around Rs 200 crore (based on number of transactions) in the next 5 years.

          Special Chief Secretary-cum-FCR Mr. KAP Sinha, Principal Secretary Governance Reforms Mr Tejveer Singh, Secretary Finance Mr Diprava Lakra, DGSE Mr Vinay Bublani, Special Secretary Health Dr. Adapa Karthik, Director Governance Reforms Mr Girish Dayalan, MD Punjab Infotech Mr Mohinder Pal Singh, Special Secretary Home Mr Varinder K. Sharma and other senior officers of the state government were also present in the meeting.