Scheduled Caste certificate rush, staff diversions leave Jalandhar Sewa Kendras under strain

Sewa Kendras across the city are under pressure as a large number of women rush to obtain Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates ahead of the April 13 launch of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, officials said.

The scheme, which is slated to be launched on April 13, aims to provide Rs 1,000 direct financial assistance to every woman. However, women belonging to the SC category will receive Rs 1,500. To avail the benefits, applicants are required to submit essential documents, including a valid caste certificate, Aadhaar card, residence proof and bank account details, triggering a sharp rise in footfall at Sewa Kendras in recent weeks.

The rush has highlighted operational strain at the centres, compounded by the deployment of staff to weekly health camps organised under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana since February.

Employees said a significant portion of the workforce has been diverted to assist in beneficiary enrollment and documentation at these camps, leaving Sewa Kendras understaffed at a critical time.

According to officials, Jalandhar has 35 Sewa Kendras with a total of 175 operators. Of these, 64 have been deployed at health camps, leading to a visible staff shortage, affecting service delivery, particularly at high footfall centres.

The pressure is evident at the Sewa Kendra located in the DC complex where around 23 operators are handling a daily influx of nearly 400 to 500 applicants.

“Since the announcement of the scheme on March 8, there has been a sudden spike in female visitors. With many staff members from across the Sewa Kendras in Jalandhar deputed at health camps, it has become difficult to manage the crowd,” an official said.

As a result, applicants are facing long waiting hours and repeated visits.

Rajvinder Kaur, a visitor at the Sewa Kendra in the DC complex, said, “I have been coming here for the past two days to get an SC certificate, but my work is still not done. The queues are very long and the system is slow, causing delays. Now I have been asked to come again on Friday as Thursday is a public holiday.”

Echoing similar concerns, another visitor, Baljit Kaur, said, “The situation here is very stressful. I have to wait for more than an hour just to get my turn and even then there is no guarantee the work will be completed the same day. The crowd is too much and the process is very slow.”

Adding to the strain is the recurring slowdown of the e-Sewa Punjab portal, which offers around 434 public services, including the issuance of SC and ST certificates mandatory to avail the scheme. Officials said the website remained particularly slow on Monday and Tuesday due to heavy traffic, further delaying processing and increasing congestion at the centres.

Navdeep Bhogal, District Revenue Officer and nodal officer of Sewa Kendras in Jalandhar, said, “The issue may be momentary. There is no major staff crunch and Jalandhar is among the top three districts actively processing applications. Staff deployed at health camps are also engaged in public service. However, I will look into the matter and resolve any issues, if these exist.”

Despite the assurance, the situation on the ground reflects growing pressure on Sewa Kendras, where the reduced staff, heavy footfall and technical glitches are continuing to test patience of both employees and applicants.