Common Services Centres face action, six may lose licence for overcharging

Srinagar, May 27

In a bid to tighten the noose around Common Services Centres (CSCs) for overcharging, inspection teams from the Information Technology Department have recommended the cancellation of six licenses in Jammu and Kashmir, a government spokesman announced.

Under the supervision of Commissioner Secretary Prerna Puri, the teams conducted surprise inspections of various CSCs in the twin districts of Samba and Jammu in the Jammu division and in Budgam in the Kashmir division. These inspections aimed to verify the CSCs’ adherence to government-notified rates.

During the surprise checks, 45 CSCs of Samba and Kathua districts were inspected in Jammu division while 28 CSCs of Budgam district were inspected in Kashmir division. The inspection teams have recommended cancellation of licenses of six CSCs.

The IT Department has notified rates to avail various online services, which envisage Rs 50 per service for government to citizen service and Rs 75 for government to business services. Based on complaints of overcharging, 664 CSC licenses have been cancelled in the past one year (624 in 2023-24 and 40 in 2024-25).

The Vice-President CSC-SPV, J&K, has been directed to ensure that the notified rates are prominently displayed at a conspicuous place in each CSC sensitising all village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) regarding notified rates. Besides, directions have also been issued to all deputy commissioners to allocate the spaces in all such offices for setting up of new touch points. Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) of all districts have been nominated as nodal officers to facilitate and accelerate the opening of new touch points.