Nagpur Collectorate

Information & Facilitation Center ( I.F.C ) 


- An Experiment In Pro-people Administration

Introduction 

The Information & Facilitation Center is designed as a "one-stop -solution" to the problems faced by the common man. It offers the following facilities: 

Help Counter

A counter manned by two N.G.Os (Non-Government Organisation)  for sale of Application forms and various types of forms and various types of stamps. The counter also disseminates information about various Govt. schemes, procedures etc

Counter to fill application forms

A counter providing arrangement for filling the application forms of the applicants and writing their affidavits. These services are provided at specified rates by the volunteers deputed by the two NGOs at the I.F.C.

A counter for executing the affidavits where an Executive Magistrate sits with one assistant solely for the purpose of affidavits.
Another counter called the "Single Window Counter" for accepting the filled application forms, distributing the "end-products" of the applications and also for handling enquiries about the status of applications. This counter is manned by two employees of the Collectorate.
A Bank Counter where State Bank of India ( S..B.I. ) under special authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India, accepts cash-deposits vide Government challans.

This Bank counter is essentially an extension counter of a nearby branch of the State Bank of India and its presence in the I.F.C. ensures that the applicant is not required to go any where else for depositing application fee, royalty etc.

Affidavit Counter

                                     

A counter for executing the affidavits where an Executive Magistrate sits with one assistant solely for the purpose of affidavits.

 

  Information and Facilitation Center  - Operational Details

The Information & Facilitation Center Building Nagpur Collectorate was constructed as a "Waiting Room" for the visitors under the MLA - Local Area Development Fund Programme.

 

Thoughts behind the starting of Information and Facilitation Center

  • Following are the main reasons why people come to Government offices?

    To get information about Govt. Schemes, policies and procedures.
    To collect the application-forms that enable them to apply for various types of certificates, licenses, permissions and monetary assistance/benefits
     To submit their application forms.
    To enquire about the status of their applications.
    To collect the "end-products" of their applications viz. licenses, permits, certificates, monetary benefits/letters of rejections etc.

 

  •  Problems faced by the Common man in a Government  office.

He does not usually know where to go and whom to meet for his problems.
He does not know from where to collect the application form etc.
He, in case he is illiterate or semi literate, does not know how to fill the application form or where to go to have it filled.
He does not know how to make an affidavit which is required in quite a few cases.
He does not know how to credit money vide challans into Govt. Account.

 

  •  Drawbacks of The Current Setup
               
    Since most of the Govt. offices do not have any mechanism for assisting or guiding the common man "intermediaries" of all shades move in to "bridge the gap" between the office and the common man.
    The presence of these intermediaries in the office premises very often results in corruption through unholy nexus between employees and the middlemen, bogus affidavits / certificates and exploitation of the common man, not to speak of the tarnishing of the image of the office.
     

Need of Information and Facilitation Center

To eliminate these middleman it is necessary to devise effective mechanisms for specifically addressing the problems faced by the common-man coming to Government offices.