Odisha Sub-Registrars’ cashless move runs into hiccups

Bhubaneswar: Even as cashless transactions across Sub-Registrar offices in Odisha have been introduced from September 1, the move ran into hiccups amid protests coupled with lack of required infrastructure.

In Balasore, a protest was staged by the Moharir Mahasangha at Sub-Registrar’s Office today demanding acceptance of payments through bank agents.

However, the agitation was called off after the registrar announced that payments up to Rs 5,000 will be accepted in cash, informed Purnachandra Mohanty, president of Moharir Mahasangha, Balasore.

The mahasangha claims that common people are facing a lot of inconvenience by waiting in queues outside banks and treasury for getting challans for payments for land or any other registrations.

“After a deed is submitted, registration fee is assessed and the person has to make payments through demand draft. There is no point in introducing cashless transactions if people from Sub-Registrar’s office will have to spend Rs 200 to go to banks for making petty payments,” said Odisha Deed Writers Association President, Basidhar Behera.

Similarly, cashless payments were marred by operational hiccups in Bolangir due to unavailability of Point of Sale (PoS) machines at the Sub-Registrar’s office.

“People are facing problems due to unavailability of PoS machines,” said Pratap Behera, a resident of Bolangir.

Besides, with fees for marriage registrations, issuance of EC or other certified copies are minimal, people are reluctant to make digital payments, said sources.

“There will be some problems in implementing new things. The issue of people facing problems to make cashless payments for small transactions has come to our notice. We are taking steps to overcome such hurdles,” said Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty.