Use of electronic files started almost two years back in Jammu & Kashmir have undoubtedly reduced unwanted delays in the disposal of cases related to both public welfare and as well as accountability of employees in Government offices, but unfortunately some Government departments have taken too much of time in the use of digital platforms established for reducing unwanted delays in the delivery of key public services and transport department is one such department where unprecedented delays in issuance of driving license show that public convenience has been hugely compromises for not days and weeks but for last several months together. Forget about getting driving license just at a single click on mobile handset the people don’t gett driving licenses now even after visiting offices of Assistant Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) dozens of times month after month. Since people are not concerned about the causes of the delays but they are concerned only about an earliest end to unprecedented delays in the issuance of driving license, the onus of resolving the issues that have led to unprecedented delays in issuance of driving licenses lies on the top brass of the transport department. While traffic cops check driving licenses for the safety of the people, the ARTO offices go on delaying and delaying the process of issuing . driving licenses month after month against all the spirits of public conveinence. No explanations are sought from the ARTO offices on this count even after noticing their failures in issuance of driving licenses for last several months.
“Fixing the responsibility on the Transport department without seeking explanations from the Finance Department won’t end the unending delays in issuance of driving licenses but bringing the two departments close to any one time agreement over the issues would hopefully end the row over delays in issuance of driving licenses once forever”.
Though speculations are rife that delays in settling some issues related to paper and printing of driving licenses are the cause of unprecedented delays in the issuance of driving but it is quite unbelievable that two departments controlled equally by the Jammu & Kashmir Government don’t reach an agreement on a trivial issue like sanction of money for printing and paper charges of the driving licenses. People reserve the right to ask that when they pay fee for the driving licenses what for that money is used if not for bearing the cost of printing and paper charges of the driving licenses. Fixing the responsibility on the Transport department without seeking explanations from the Finance Department won’t end the unending delays in issuance of driving licenses but bringing the two departments close to any one time agreement over the issues would hopefully end the row over delays in issuance of driving licenses once forever.
