Telangana: LRS applicants fleeced at internet centres
Photo for representational purpose only
Hyderabad: The applicants of Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) are at the mercy of internet centres as they are charging additional Rs 500 taking advantage of digital illiteracy of many, especially in districts.
The State government provided one last opportunity to the plot owners in unauthorised layouts to regularise their properties by paying the regularisation fee. The government also provided relief to the property owners by allowing the same rate as was provided for decreasing the LRS fee. Government had fixed the application fee of Rs 1,000 and the last date as October 15.
However, the applicants are shelling out Rs 200 to Rs 500 per application at the internet centres and planners as the applicants are at the mercy of these net centres because of the digital illiteracy. They are approaching the Mee Sevas and planners even after availability of an online facility. The Mee Sevas should collect Rs 1,000 as fee and Rs 45 as user charge but the applicants are made to pay more than the prescribed fee.
The private net centres have been approaching the property owners through social media network for making applications for LRS. As some aged property owners cannot fill the forms online, the private net centres are charging from Rs 200 to Rs 500 per application.
However, a CDMA official said that the Mee Seva personnel cannot charge more than the prescribed user charges. The property owners can contact on support-lrs@telangana.gov.in or call at 18004258838 for clarification of their doubts.
Meanwhile, the process of filing online applications was in full swing in towns and villages. As on Tuesday, the total applications received in the State was 3,32,635 and the amount collected was Rs 33.79 crore.
The total applications received in gram panchayats was 1,21,347 and money collected was Rs 12.45 crore in municipalities. The total applications include 1,35,705 and money collected amounted to Rs 13.70 crore and in corporations it was 75,583 applications and money collected came up to Rs 7.35 crore.