Jalandhar 19 march 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has taken a major step to curb corruption in tehsils. Recently, 273 tehsildars and naib tehsildars across the state were transferred, and the responsibility of property registration was handed over to kanungos. Now, the Punjab government is planning another major decision—to shift the registration process to service centers and provide doorstep facilities to citizens.
To implement this, the Revenue Department has developed the necessary software, enabling citizens to apply for property registration and other related services through the Revenue Department’s online portal.
Doorstep Services & Training for Service Center Employees
The department has also prepared a master plan to offer these services at people’s doorsteps. Once the system is operational, citizens will be able to fill out registration forms online or through service centers without visiting tehsils. Additionally, patwaris, kanungos, and tehsil-related work will also be handled by service center employees.
As per the instructions issued by Punjab’s Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue), training for service center employees in document registration began today. The Revenue Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Department has finalized the process, and a two-hour training session was conducted for service center employees by a master trainer.
A letter issued by the Assistant Chief Secretary to all Deputy Commissioners states that the trainers will include the ADC or SDM, tehsildar, naib tehsildar, district system manager (DSM), two assistant system managers (ASM), service center master trainer, district technical coordinator (DITM), and the in-charge of service centers. These individuals will be appointed by the Deputy Commissioner. Once the system is live, any citizen can visit the nearest service center or apply for registration online from home. This new system will eliminate middlemen and agents, and applicants can pay the government-prescribed fee at the service center.
Thousands May Lose Their Jobs Due to Corruption Crackdown
The Punjab government’s decision to shift registration services to service centers aims to eliminate corruption in tehsils and sub-tehsils. However, this move may also lead to job losses for thousands of people who depend on work related to registration services.
Professionals such as lawyers, petition writers, stamp vendors, and typists, who have been earning their livelihood from tehsil-related work, may face unemployment. Notably, petition writers and stamp vendors have been working with proper licenses issued by district administrations.
Once the private company operating service centers trains its employees, all revenue-related work will be shifted to service centers, leaving thousands of tehsil and sub-tehsil workers unemployed.
Summary: The Mann government introduces significant changes in Punjab’s property registration process, aiming for transparency and efficiency.