The State government, through G.O. Ms. No. 14, on Tuesday, announced the provision of free duplicate documents for citizens affected by the unprecedented floods that hit the State in August and September. Due to extreme rainfall caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, several districts, especially around Vijayawada, experienced severe flooding, resulting in the loss of lives, property, and essential documents.
The government acknowledged the widespread loss of important documents such as academic certificates, driving licenses, vehicle registration certificates, Aadhaar cards, birth, death, and marriage certificates. To assist affected citizens, the government has ordered the departments concerned to issue certified copies or duplicates of these documents free of charge.
Special camps would be set up in flood-affected areas, and applications for duplicate documents would be collected over the course of a week, said R.P. Sisodia, Special Chief Secretary, Revenue department in the GO. The replacements would be issued within the following week, without any fees, as part of a special drive, he added.
The Special Chief Secretary instructed all relevant departments to relax the necessary rules and expedite the process. This relief initiative was aimed at restoring normalcy for citizens whose livelihoods were severely impacted by the floods, he added.
Published – September 25, 2024 01:26 pm IST
