Soon, all municipal clearances within 24 hrs of applying

NEW DELHI: The municipalities of 500 cities with a population of over a lakh will soon have to issue documents such as constructioncards, birth and death certificates, and marriage papers within 24 hours of receiving an online application.

Civic bodies currently take anywhere between a month and a year to provide these services, depending on the request.

This is one of the five urban reforms being pushed by the Union urban development( U D) ministry to streamline municipal services. “Earlier, municipalities used to first verify each and everyapplication before issuing the certificate. It will be the other way round now. Municipalities will start the process of issuance of certificates soon after receiving an online request. It is a new approach based on trust. You trust and offer a service, and verify later ,” Union urban development secretary Rajiv Gauba said.

This, however, will not make the system easier to manipulate. If the verification process finds that an individual has suppressed or submitted wrong information, action will be taken under relevant municipal laws. All the proposed reforms have been linked to monetary incentives as part of the At al Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation( AM R UT ), a UD ministry scheme launched by Prime Minister Na rend ra Mo di in June 2015 to upgrade urban infrastructure in 500 cities.