Mohinder Verma JAMMU, Sept 9: In order to streamline the process of issuing Permanent Resident Certificates, the Government is going to bring some amendments in the J&K Grant of Permanent Resident Certificate Act, 1963 and the bill in this regard is likely in the Autumn Session of the State Legislature beginning from September 30.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that as per Section 3 Sub-Section D of Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Permanent Resident Certificate Act, 1963, the Government is competent to delegate powers for issuance of PRCs.
As per the standing orders, such powers are delegated to a person, who is himself a permanent resident of the State. When an officer who has been delegated powers for issuance of PRCs for a specific area is transferred the process of issuance of notification for delegation of powers is initiated afresh from the district level and Government on the recommendations of the Deputy Commissioners authorize the officer to issue such certificates.
“It has been felt that in normal course it takes around one to two months for delegating the powers and during this period the people are made to suffer”, they said, adding “whenever these powers are delegated to new officer the file has to be sent to the Law Department for vetting of the notification and issuance of SRO Number”.
“This issue is being raised by Members of Legislative Assembly during every session of the State Legislature and in order to overcome this difficulty and taking the concerns of the legislators seriously the Revenue Department has proposed an amendment to the J&K Grant of Permanent Resident Certificate Act, 1963”, sources informed.
The Revenue Department has proposed delegation of powers to a particular post with area of jurisdiction for issuance of such certificates on permanent basis, sources said. “This will be subject to the condition that the officer is a permanent resident of J&K and in case the officer is not permanent resident the Divisional Commissioner will be authorized to delegate these powers to some other officer of the same district”, sources added.
In response to a question, they informed that after going through the proposal of the Revenue Department, the Law Department sent the file back with the note that the Revenue Department should obtain opinion of the field officers particularly Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners.
“Now, the file has again been sent to the Law Department by the Revenue Department with the note that Financial Commissioner Revenue has already conducted detailed interaction with the Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners on the issue”, sources said while disclosing that at present Law Department was vetting the proposal and will return the same to the Revenue Department within next some days.
Responding to another question, sources said, “it is likely that Revenue Department will table a bill seeking amendment in the Grant of PRC Act, 1963 in the forthcoming Autumn Session of the State Legislature beginning from September 30”.
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