Open house: Should residents pay facilitation charges for sampark centre services?
Chandigarh residents have received another bolt from the blue. It is really shocking to levy unusual charges for the usual services provided at the Sampark Centres. Senior citizens, retired people and those who are not tech savvy and are unable to pay the charges online are going to be burdened more. The administration is humbly requested to give a second thought to the matter and reverse the decision.
NPS Sohal
Decision will impact common man
The Sampark Centres are being run very effectively and if the administration wants to levy some nominal charges to maintain its services, they may go ahead, however, water and electricity bills should not be included in the list as it troubles the common man more than the others. They are the ones who usually adopt this system of payment. The intended inclusion of these services will directly impact them.
Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh
Provide services online
The administration must make the services provided by the centres available online as it will be more efficient to pay online. Everyone these days has mobile phones and bank accounts. With the services available online, people can avoid going to Sampark Centres, waiting in queues and paying extra Rs 25. This is a matter of welfare and it is the duty of the administration to provide better and proper facilities to the tax payers. Making the services available online would be economical.
Capt Amar Jeet Kumar, Kharar
Charging extra unjustified
It is not at all justified to levy a facilitation charge of Rs 25 for depositing electricity or water bill. People already spend transportation charges to commute to Sampark Centres. The system of depositing bills at these centres was established to provide relief, particularly to the senior citizens. The proposed fee is high. It should not be more than Rs 10.
IPS Anand, Manimajra
Enough funds with the administration
The administration should not make everything a business. Avarice is the root of all evils. Levying such charges for services at the Sampark Centres is injustice to the public. There is no need for either the residents or any department concerned to pay extra money as there is no problem of funds. The administration has surplus budget. It should spend these funds for the welfare of the public instead of lapsing or wasting the money. It should avoid nuisance by making meaningless decisions.
Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali
Nominal fee should be Rs 10 per service
Even though the Sampark Centres are doing a good job, saving time and providing hassle-free services, and helping people to avoid going to government offices that have limited working hours and few working days, the UT Administration should charge nominal fee of Rs 10 per service. The administration should charge some fee from the department concerned as this decision will help the department save its time and man power.
K C Rana, Chandigarh
Charging extra will help improve system
The plan to levy nominal charges on services provided by the Sampark Centres would further improve the system. The collection of amount through this can be used for the betterment and expansion of the services. The centres not only provide instant services but also give quality services within a very limited time. People save their valuable time that is otherwise wasted in reaching different offices and standing in long queues to avail of the same services provided under one roof at these centres. However, the amount should not be charged for merely earning money.
Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali
Roll back the decision
The UT administration is again and again burdening the city residents in one way or the other. But there is no improvement in the facilities provided to the residents. Levying a facilitation charge is just a way of extorting money. The administration is trying to fill its pocket citing financial crunch. It is actually harassing the residents. The decision to charge extra at the Sampark Centres must be rolled back.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Not fair to charge extra
It is not fair to levy a facilitation charge of Rs 25 for depositing water and electricity bill at the Sampark Centres. The administration should collect bill payments at the residents’ doorstep to justify the extra Rs 25 facilitating charge. It will save the residents from parking charges and transportation cost. It will especially be a boon for the senior citizens if bills are collected at their doorstep by the administration.
Col TBS Bedi
Residents should pay the amount
The Sampark Centres in Chandigarh are doing a good job of providing several services under one roof. However, at some of these centres, inadequate staff strength is causing delays and longer waiting queues. To get a viable service at these centres, the residents should be ready to pay for the services. The extra funds will definitely enable the administration to depute adequate staff at the centres and therefore help in providing quick services to the residents. However, Rs 25 is a high amount for poor people.
Vijay Shukla
Such small facilities should be free of cost
Planning to strengthen the Sampark project is a good decision, but to levy a facilitation charge on these small facilities is unfair. This will put an extra financial burden on the pocket of residents. People are already reeling under the rising inflation and this will further create resentment in them. According to some people, the administration is trying to increase its revenue by charging extra. Perhaps, these are really small facilities which should be provided free of cost. The authorities should reconsider their decision.
Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula
Centres may no longer be significant
The Sampark Centres were started by the Chandigarh Administration for the convenience of the public to avail of certain services without wasting time by visiting the concerned offices. Being a former supervisor at one of these centres, I can definitely say levying such heavy facilitation charge will compel the public to visit the concerned offices for the required services. The Sampark Centres may no longer be of significance then. The administration should reconsider its decision. And if at all the charges are to be levied, these should be low to an extent that the public is comfortable in paying.
Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali
Dept Concerned should bear charges
The Chandigarh Administration is trying to loot residents in every possible way. Only lower class people come to pay bills at the Sampark Centres as they do not understand the working of apps. Payments of bills must be free at these centres or the concerned departments must bear the charges of the facilities provided to the customer.
Vijay Malia
Big amount for middle & lower middle class
A facilitation charge of Rs 25 is a big amount for the middle and lower middle class families to avail of services at the Sampark Centres. This will only promote cyber market as the cyber cafes will start charging lesser amount than these centres and this would ultimately deteriorate the purpose of the project. The administration has never levied any charges on depositing the water and electricity bills earlier. The administration must think twice before taking such harsh step.
Savita Kuthiala
Design apps for online bill payments
An extra charge of Rs 25 for depositing water and electricity bills is an unnecessary burden on the citizens who are already facing unprecedented price rise. The UT wants to put an extra load on the actual bill amount. In this era of digitisation, the citizens should be encouraged to deposit bills online. The administration should design simple apps for payments and encourage citizens to use them. Those who do not understand the working of apps should be allowed to pay at the centres with no extra charges levied on the same. Or the bills must be collected from their premises at the time of meter reading. Mobile vans for collecting bills can be parked sector-wise on pre announced dates. The situation calls for some innovation rather than finding an easy way out and burdening the citizens.
Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula
Not in public interest
The Chandigarh Administration’s decision to levy a facilitation charge at the Sampark Centres for depositing bills for 18 services is not in the interest of the public. Most of the tech savvy residents are already paying their bills online and incurring some bank charges. The administration should ask the departments concerned to share the expenditure of running these Sampark Centres instead of putting extra financial burden on the residents.
Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh
Unreasonably high facilitation charges
Now, the Sampark Centres are going to charge extra for depositing bills. The amount is unseasonably high. Many people deposit bills and avail of some services daily. According to the orders, it means heavy amount will be collected from them. The aim of these centres was basically to help people avail of these services easily and conveniently. But the administration is now trying to make it a source of income. They have already imposed a number of taxes. People don’t mind giving a nominal fee to maintain the centres.
Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh
Charges will ensure better services
The decision to implement service charges at Sampark Centres will generate revenue for the administration to run them efficiently. These nominal charges will keep the services in shape. Although these centres are frequented by the elderly and those who are digitally handicapped and they might feel the initial brunt, but slowly they will be ready to pay the charges. The administration should balance it with better services.
Sunny Dhaliwal, Chandigarh
Arbitrary decision
The decision of the UT administration to levy facilitation charges of Rs 25 to deposit water and electricity bills at the Sampark Centres is arbitrary and uncalled for. The project was initiated to provide hassle-free and efficient services of different government departments to the residents under one roof by involving the IT department. The charges should be borne by the concerned departments. Passing the buck to the common man is unfair.
RPS Chopra, Chandigarh
Additional burden
Stop levying a facilitation charge as it is quite illegal. The public is already hard-pressed due to the existing various taxes. By levying a facilitation charge, the Chandigarh Administration is putting an additional burden on the consumers, which is not acceptable. The administration should not at least charge extra on all 18 services offered at the Sampark Centres.
Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar
Residents should not be exploited
The residents should not pay any extra amount above and over the bill. The department concerned should bear the charges. The residents should not be exploited over any extra charge. The people should be aware of their rights.
Adish Sood, Amloh
Economic burden for senior citizens
It is not a compassionate decision to charge for bills as it is the senior citizens and people who are not technocrats that make use of these centres. This may cause an economic burden for them to pay for this extra living expenditure. If the Chandigarh Administration really wants to implement the idea, they should first let the people present their views regarding the decision.
Tanishka Chandela, Chandigarh
Decision needs to be withdrawn
It is not for the first time that the Chandigarh administration is levying taxes. The facilitation charge of Rs 25 is being levied at a time when the residents are already facing skyrocketing prices of the essentials. It is beyond the capacity of the residents to pay such a heavy amount. The administration should not burden the residents in the name of facilitation charges and must withdraw it immediately, failing which the residents will be compelled to come to the streets.
SK Khosla, Chandigarh
Will add to hassles faced by residents
The decision of the authorities to levy extra facilitation charge is completely unjustified and will only add to the hassles faced by residents in paying their bills. It is the duty of the UT to care for the citizens and these centres are a part of it. Therefore, it is wrong on the part of the authorities to impose an extra fee on the use of a facility provided by them to the citizens. The authorities should try to make people more aware about digital payments before taking such a step.
Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh
QUESTION
The UT Administration plans to introduce community parking to end parking blues in residential areas. It will charge a fee for street parking. Sector 35-D has been chosen for this pilot project. Is it a viable option or should the Administration explore other alternatives?
Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com
