The State Government’s move to bring in technology to iron out deficiencies in the system doesn’t seem to augur well for thousands of stamp vendors who believe that the e-stamping system is a direct threat to their livelihood. The government’s e-stamping system has brought in a public sector bank in the business of stamp vending.
The vendor’s association — Jharkhand Mudrank Vikreta Sangh — like other pressure groups today resorted to strike which will continue to till 18th of this month. According to an uncorroborated estimate the strike means a loss of Rs 50 lakh to the state government per day. For more than 40 stamp vendors in Ranchi, the reverse countdown to a dark future began the day e-stamping was introduced by the state government. The disgruntled lot believes that e-stamping signifies a lesser role of stamp vendors in future and hence tougher days for their dependents as well.
“If the government continues with step motherly treatment then soon we will become jobless. Our livelihood is at stake,” said Secretary of the association, Sampat lal. A stamp vendor works manages all costs on wafer thin commission of two per cent on judicial stamps besides a maximum of six per cent on non-judicial stamps and is not authorized to sell stamps beyond Rs 5000 in value. Interestingly, while the minimum sales price for a piece of land is revised every year the cap on the value of stamp a vendor can sell through his counter is slowly making them insignificant in the business.
“Government must revise the rates. When they can revise the minimum value of a piece of land every year why can’t the commission which stands fixed since 35 years,” maintained lal.
The commission on different types of stamps was last revised in 1978 and the vendors have been pushing for its revision in the wake of quantum jump in the value of assets since the last the revision in commission is made. The vendors believe that the government has already dealt a severe blow by widening the scope of Chotanagpur Tenancy Act which prohibits transfer of lands to people outside a particular community while allowing leeway to SCs and OBCs included in the act. The act has affected sale of cheap land in rural areas which was earlier done through a stamp vendor.
“The CNT Act has stopped transfer of cheap lands. We survived on the legitimate transfer however that is not the case anymore,” pointed out B K Burmen, a stamp vendor. Notwithstanding , the brighter side of e-stamping system , the vendors believe that there is bright side to vending mode of stamp sales and the Government must eliminate the deficiencies prevalent in the age old system of stamp vending rather than eliminating the people in the business.
“If there is any problem regarding counterfeiting or anything else the government must rectify it. Who is stopping them,” added lal.