In this historic stride, the Punjab government has introduced comprehensive ‘faceless’ services for driving license and vehicle registration certificate (RC) processes to facilitate public convenience and banish corruption. Citizens will no longer need to visit Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in person; their journey distance is now made shorter toward a very significant change in transparent and responsive governance.
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Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann symbolically locked an RTO which marks the disappearance of long queues, bureaucratic hassles, and middlemen influence, declaring that the state really is marching toward citizen-centric administration. This effort is in direct accord with the government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption.
Digital Revolution: Doorstep Delivery
The newly introduced system comprises 56 major services, placing Punjab among the first states in India to implement such a far-reaching faceless model in the transport sector.
The services can be accessed by the citizens over the telephone by calling government helpline number 1076 or by visiting any of the readily available ‘Seva Kendras’ across the state. This is a significant step toward the Digital Revolution in the transport department that ensures essential documents and services reach citizens’ doorsteps.
It saves much time and effort, especially for the elderly, the physically challenged, and those in remote areas who otherwise were required to make multiple trips to the RTO for document verification.
Tackling Corruption: Zero Tolerance
This Anti-Corruption Initiative seeks to break the existing link between corrupt officials and middlemen. The government has put the entire transaction online and at service points, reducing opportunities for bribery and discretionary applications to bare minimums by making them non-existent.
The statistics for the financial year 2024-25 show the receipt of almost 29.2 lakh applications (over 19.6 lakh for RCs and 9.6 lakh for driving licenses) by the Transport Department, indicating the massive volume this new model is expected to handle efficiently.
To facilitate easy transition, special help desks have been set up at the old RTO locations for the first 15 days to advise the people. Moreover, the government has assured that none of the existing employees will have to lose their jobs; their services will be effectively redeployed in other government departments based on their eligibility.
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