Online registration made mandatory to improve accountability
Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, July 24: The Power Development Corporation (PDCL) has processed around 1983 new electricity connections since it began online registration in 2019 and has now made online registration for customers a requirement in order to further strengthen accountability.
The department has created an online module that enables customers to submit their applications for power connections without physically visiting the offices. The action was taken as part of the Business Reform Action Plan, and its primary goals were to give consumers convenient connections and lower the risk of corruption.
“The online connections are less because earlier we accept both online and offline applications. However, customers must now use online applications, which will increase the number of applicants,” Surjeel Lala, an official at the KPDCL, told Excelsior.
When asked how long it takes to process an online application, he said, according to the Public Sector Guarantee Act (PSGA) guidelines, the connection should be released within one month, but we have been asked to do so in one week.
“We need to properly verify the documents before approving the connection and do that effectively. The cases that took us longer typically had complications with their applications,” he said, adding that processing an application takes no time if all the required paperwork is submitted in a timely manner.
As per the official data, the Anantnag sub-division processed the most applications, 752, followed by Acchbal with 472 cases. Baghat Subdivision in Srinagar district has the most online applications (131), followed by Dalgate (125), which have been completed since 2019.
In the Ganderbal subdivision, only one application has been processed, compared to just two in Sopore. 34 and 40 applications were processed in the Shopian and Handwara subdivisions, respectively.
Since the majority of users still preferred the offline approach, the department decided to address this by making the online application mandatory and discontinuing the offline mode.
In this regard, the administration recently issued a circular in which the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited was instructed to stop processing cases for these services offline. “The PSGA timelines for these services will be integrated into the online portal and any default on providing services within notified timelines will be monitored by departments for action,” the circular reads.
It also specifies that any officer found to have violated the PSGA deadlines for providing online services will be disciplined in accordance with established standards. “The ARI Department was directed to conduct surprise inspections and submit inspection reports with respect to the offline/online processing of cases in the field offices. It was directed that disciplinary action shall be initiated against the delinquent officers/officials found processing the cases in offline mode and it was further emphasized that non-performance in the matter shall be considered for disciplinary proceedings,” it reads.
Additionally, it stipulates that consumer online applications must be processed in accordance with the deadlines outlined in the Public Sector Guarantee Act.
“It shall be ensured that all the related queries/clarifications/any other related letters are forwarded to the consumers through online mode only or during physical verification at consumer premises. Under no circumstances, consumers who have applied through online mode shall be forced to visit the offices to avail these services,” it reads.
It also stated that all customers who visit field offices with offline applications will be assisted in filling them online only. “A dedicated helpdesk shall be put-up in every sub-divisional office for the same purpose,” it reads.
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