RSCs won’t replace sub-registrar offices, says DIG
The Andhra Pradesh Registration Department’s proposed Registration Service Centres (RSCs) will function alongside the existing sub-registrar offices and will not replace them, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) K. Manmadha Rao said on Friday, amid concerns over the government’s proposal.
Addressing a press conference, Manmadha Rao said the RSCs would be set up under Government Order (GO) No. 396 to provide improved public facilities while retaining the existing registration system. The state has 295 sub-registrar offices, and the government plans to establish one RSC in each of the 26 districts.
According to the DIG, the centres will carry out the same registration functions as sub-registrar offices. They will also provide additional facilities such as customer help desks, waiting lounges, and digital payment options for stamp duty and registration charges.
He said the proposal would not affect the existing “Anywhere Registration” system, under which documents can be registered at any eligible sub-registrar office in the state. Registration at an RSC would be optional, he added.
Responding to concerns that the move amounted to privatisation of registration services, Manmadha Rao said only front-office operations would be outsourced. Document verification, biometric authentication, photography, scanning and registration approval would continue to be carried out by government personnel.
Those choosing to register documents at an RSC will have to pay a premium service fee of ₹2,000 per document for the additional facilities. The proposal, the DIG said, would not affect the livelihood of document writers, adding that the department had already discussed the plan with their associations.
On the ongoing pen-down strike by document writers, he said registration services had continued without disruption. Under the Public Data Entry (PDE) system, citizens can prepare their own documents and complete the registration process by submitting the required documents, Aadhaar cards and witnesses at the registration office.
He said “May I Help You” counters had been set up at registration offices to assist citizens with the registration process without requiring the services of document writers.