Malerkotla: Updating documents an ordeal for residents of state’s youngest district

Mahesh Sharma

Malerkotla, June 18

Residents of this youngest and smallest district of the state that was carved out of Sangrur district over three years ago, are harried lot as they have to shuttle between different offices for getting relevant changes done in essential documents, including Aadhaar, passport, financial documents and educational qualification certificates.

Poor, illiterate suffer in Malerkotla

Though the change in particulars has been necessitated due to government’s process for creating a new district, poor and illiterate people are being made to suffer for getting their Aadhaar and other documents rectified. — Deepak Sharma, Former Councillor

Residential certificates, caste certificates, registration deeds and Economically Weaker Section certificates issued prior to up-gradation as district are among other testimonials, procedure for issuance of which is already cumbersome.

Residents have urged the higher authorities, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure that the mandatory changes are made automatically when some reorganisation is done by the administration and copies of various documents are provided to the residents free of cost.

Former councillor Deepak Sharma said a large number of residents had been coming to him to get a number of documents attested and seeking his help in getting details changed in identity cards and other documents from different departments.

“Though the change in particulars has been necessitated due to government’s process for creating a new district, poor and illiterate people are being made to suffer for getting their Aadhaar and other documents rectified,” said Sharma regretting that the staff had at Suvidha Kendras and other agencies has been unnecessarily harassing beneficiaries on various pretext.

Poorest among the poor are more upset as they have to bear unnecessary expenses on preparing copies of documents for submission with application forms.

Residents have appealed to high authorities to advise concerned departments to undertake necessary changes from the back end and provide at least one copy of the document free of cost.

Having a population of 4,29,754 according to the 2011 census, Malerkotla district has sizable populations of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs. Having a large number of relatives and friends in Pakistan, UAE, USA, England, Canada and Australia, residents need passport, travel documents and educational qualification documents often, a situation which needs change in particulars in almost all documents, including Aadhaar and Passports.

Justifying demand raised by the residents, Suvidha Kendra district in-charge Narinder Sharma said in-charges at Suvidha Kendras and other offices facilitating change in particulars in Aadhaar to liberalise the procedure regarding change of particulars in connection with changed district name.