Action on common service centres, license of six canceled for overcharging

Jammu: To crack down on Common Service Centers (CSCs) for overcharging, inspection teams of the Information Technology Department have recommended cancellation of six licenses in Jammu and Kashmir, a government spokesperson announced.

Under the supervision of Commissioner Secretary Prerna Puri, the teams conducted surprise inspections of various CSCs in Samba and Jammu districts of Jammu division and Budgam of Kashmir division. The purpose of these inspections was to verify compliance by CSCs with the rates notified by the Government.

During the surprise inspection, 45 CSCs of Samba and Kathua districts in Jammu division were inspected, while 28 CSCs of Budgam district in Kashmir division were inspected. The inspection teams have recommended cancellation of licenses of six CSCs.
The IT department has notified the rates for availing various online services, envisaging Rs 50 per service for citizen services from the government and Rs 75 for business services from the government. Based on complaints of overcharging, 664 CSC licenses have been canceled in the last one year (624 in 2023-24 and 40 in 2024-25).

Vice Chairman CSC-SPV, J&K has been directed to ensure that the notified rates are displayed prominently at a conspicuous place in each CSC while sensitizing all Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) about the notified rates. . Further, instructions have also been issued to all Deputy Commissioners to allot space for setting up new touch points in all such offices. To facilitate and expedite the opening of new touch points, Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) of all the districts have been designated as nodal officers.