The Hindu 26.09.2014
Corporation seeks better FRIENDS
State turning a blind eye to centre’s plight, says resolution
The city Corporation has urged the State government to take immediate steps to make the FRIENDS counter, a single-window citizen service centre, more efficient rather than turning a blind eye to its plight.
A resolution moved at the council meeting here on Thursday said the centre had found good patronage among people of the city. It was very handy for the citizens as services such as paying electricity and water bills; ration card fee; and motor vehicle, professional, and building taxes; were available under one roof. The centre had also bee admitting examination fee of the Kerala University, the resolution said.
Token system
The highlight of the centre was the token system. People could wait in the relative comfort of an air-conditioned room rather than wait in serpentine queues. The government had systematically done away with the token system. This was causing inconvenience to the people.
There were 20 counters and the employees worked in two shifts. Now, there were only nine counters, the resolution said.
Welfare standing committee chairman Palayam Rajan, who moved the resolution, said the system introduced when E.K. Nayanar was Chief Minister was functioning without hassles till recently. The government’s neglect caused its present plight, he said.
V. Sivankutty, MLA, on Thursday, visited the FRIENDS centre in the wake of a report in The Hindu . Mr. Sivankutty interacted with the employees to get first-hand knowledge of the prevailing situation. Mr. Sivankutty said he would take up the matter with the State government.
