Following Punjab’s footsteps, the Central Government has asked all the States to do away with affidavits for Government-related work and promote self-attestation of documents. Punjab has already introduced these administrative reforms and have eliminated the need of affidavits for Government work and has brought in the self-attestation of documents providing major relief to the citizens.
“To bridge a gap between citizen and Government by removing the post-colonial practices and save citizens from unnecessary litigation, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, by implementing radical reforms, has abolished seeking affidavits in all cases except where there is statutory requirement,” a Government official said. The State Government, on the recommendations of Punjab Governance Reforms Commission, has done away with all affidavits for 89 services that were ‘local inventions’ and asked from people. Instead of seeking affidavits, three specimens of self-declaration were furnished for getting services from government departments, local bodies, autonomous institutions, he added. The move has resulted in annual saving of Rs600 crore including monitoring cost of affidavit, its attestation and loss of productivity and wages.