TNeGA asks Chennai Corporation to restore e-seva centres in ward offices

E-seva centres are likely to start operations in the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) ward offices with support from the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA).

The TNeGA has asked the GCC to identify public buildings in all wards to facilitate the restoration of e-seva centres. The e-seva centres stopped operations in most wards during the pandemic. As an alternative to this, private agencies were permitted by the State government and Union government to provide the services. However, many of the private centres, licensed by the TNeGA and the Government of India, have been closed.

Residents, who visit these centres in government offices, at this time when admissions to higher education institutions are happening, complain about poor delivery of services. I. Revathi said that the centre in the GCC office in Shenoy Nagar did not have proper facilities for printing certificates. “We visited the centre in Shenoy Nagar to get a community certificate and other certificates for my son’s application for the Tamil Nadu engineering admissions. We already had a physical copy of the community certificate. But had to pay ₹60 to get a digital copy at the e-seva centre in the GCC office. They sent us to another private centre to get a printout of the community certificate after paying an additional ₹100. Many poor students may not be able to pay money for these services during this academic year,” she said.

Former congress councillor S. Mangala Raj said that the government should ensure that these services are provided free of cost at the e-seva centres at least during the time of admissions to higher education institutions. MDMK councillor S. Jeevan said he protested against the closing of the e-seva centre in his ward office a few years ago and ensured that the operations continued in his ward office.

AIADMK councillor J. John said that the services provided at his ward office stopped many years ago and residents have been spending money to get services from other private centres across the city. “We want an e-seva centre at the ward office. The services should be free of cost, at least for the poor residents,” he said.