Vehicle fitness document at utility kiosks soon

BHUBANESWAR: If the state government has its way, vehicle owners will get fitness certificates and route permission at jana seva kendras (public utility centres) in the city.
At present, such facilities are available only at regional transport office.
State-run Odisha e-Governance Services Limited (OeSL), under housing and urban development (H&UD) department, operates the kendras. "OeSL has been asked to interact with transport authorities to explore the feasibility of inclusion of services like issuance of learner's (driving) licence, fitness certificate and online route permission," said a senior H&UD officer.
There is also a proposal to start services like payment of BSNL telephone bills and holding tax and issuance of trade licence and certificate of encumbrance at the utility centres.
Currently, six kendras function at different places here and deliver citizen-centric services like payment of electricity and water bill, issuance of birth and death certificate and OSRTC bus ticket. But there are very few takers as the utility centres witness about 50 visitors daily. The H&UD department has asked the OeSL to popularize the kendra' concept among citizens.
The department plans to set up 30 more kendras in the capital.
"We want to reach out to areas beyond Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation's (BMC) jurisdiction," the officer said.
The state government has asked the OeSL, general administration department and BMC to identify land for such kiosks.