The Atalji Janasnehi Kendras, which are the restructured and upgraded versions of the Nemmadi Kendras (single-window citizen service centres), became operational in the State on Tuesday, December 25, the birthday of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar inaugurated these hobli-level centres at a function organised by the Revenue Department in Bangalore. As many as 900 such centres have been set up in the State to provide speedy services by the Revenue Department to citizens. These centres will provide 36 services, including providing caste, income, birth and death certificates besides Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTCs).
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shettar said that his government was trying to bring about a positive change in administration through this good governance initiative. Nemmadi Kendras had been renamed as Atalji Janasnehi Kendras because Mr. Vajpayee had introduced a slew of good governance initiatives, he said.
Describing Mr. Vajpayee as having been one of the best Prime Ministers of the country, Mr. Shettar said his golden quadrangular project for linking all the regions of the country through the national highway and the scheme for building village roads had contributed immensely to the country’s development.
Mr. Shettar attributed the problems the State is facing due to river water-sharing issue to drought. He said if Mr. Vajpayee’s dream of interlinking rivers had been realised, there would have been no drought in the country.
Making things easy
Deputy Chief Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who spearheaded the initiative to restructure the Nemmadi Kendras into Atalji Janasnehi Kendras, said that the kendras will provide 36 services within specified time. Expressing concern over the common people having to run from pillar to post to get documents required by them, he said the Department of Revenue had decided to make it easy for the public to obtain certain documents from the department through Atalji Janasnehi Kendras. These kendras had been upgraded at a cost of Rs. 62 crore, he added.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar underlined the need for good governance initiatives to reduce inconvenience being caused to the public because of delay caused in providing services they need.
Mr. Kumar, who is the architect of the Sakala scheme aimed at delivering services within specific time, said Karnataka became the first State to provide 265 services under the Sakala scheme.
Revenue Commissioner Ponnuraj and Principal Secretary to Revenue Department Lata Krishna Rau were present.
