In Bihar, Nitish government is implementing e-registration for the convenience of common people. This will provide a lot of convenience to the people and they will not have to run around offices. This facility will be available through new e-registration software. In the first phase, it has been started as a pilot project in five registration offices, District Registration Office, Jehanabad, Sub Registrar Office, Danapur, Patna City, Fatuha and Bihta.
In the second phase, it has been implemented in 11 registration offices (District Sub Registrar, Arwal and Sub Registrar Office, Bikram, Phulwarisharif, Masaurhi, Sampatchak, Barh, Rajauli, Patepur, Katra, Sonpur and Piro) from September 9. In the near future, it will be implemented in all the remaining registration offices. In this software, the general public will have the facility to apply for online registration at home at any time. This information was given by Minister of Liquor Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department, Ratnesh Sada, in a press conference held on Monday. Secretary of the department Vinod Singh Gunjiyal and other officials were also present on this occasion.
The departmental secretary said that applicants will be able to check the status of their applications themselves. In the new software, the general public will get information about the category of land and the fee payable on it. This software has a provision of e-KYC (Aadhaar Authentication) for the parties. The new software will be integrated with the software from the Revenue and Land Reforms Department. The person related to the purchase and sale of land will have to come to the registration office only once for photo, finger print and agreement.
The secretary informed that the revenue target of the registration department for the financial year 2024-25 is Rs 7,500 crore. Till August 2024, revenue of Rs 3,305.64 has been received against the target set. This is 44.08 percent of the set revenue target. The revenue target of the registration department for the financial year 2023-24 was set at Rs 7,000 crore. Against which Rs 2,869.98 lakh was received till August 2023. There has been an increase of 15.18 percent in revenue receipt as compared to the last financial year (till the month of August).
From the year 1995 till now, 2 crore 34 lakh 62 thousand 435 documents have been digitized. About 5 crore 13 lakh 48 thousand 914 registered documents from the year 1796 to 1995 are pending for digitization, which will be digitized soon. Help counters have been set up in all registration offices for the convenience of the general public. All types of assistance related to registration are being provided to the general public through this counter. Air-conditioned waiting rooms have been constructed in all registration offices, which have seating facilities for the parties.
There is provision of pure drinking water and separate toilets for men and women in the waiting rooms. Canteen facility is available for the convenience of the general public in big registration offices, which is being operated through Jeevika. Old office buildings and archives are being renovated and new office buildings are being constructed.
Through the departmental software, e-stamps are being sold in all registration offices through the Co-operative Bank. At the same time, for the convenience of the general public, non-judicial stamps up to the value of Rs 1000 are being issued/sold in all registration offices through franking machines. In the High Court and all civil courts too, e-court fees are being sold by the ACC counter through the Co-operative Bank.
Apart from this, e-court fees are also being sold through franking machines in 40 civil courts including the High Court. The department is also considering installing stamp vending machines in registration offices. Through this kiosk machine, the common people will be able to get e-stamps themselves like an ATM.
It was also informed that the requisition for direct recruitment against all the sanctioned posts in the department has been sent to the Requisition Commission. The requisition for 11 vacant posts of Sub Registrar and Joint Sub Registrar has been sent to Bihar Public Service Commission, the requisition for total 409 vacant posts of Lower Division Clerk and 177 vacant posts of Office Peon has been sent to Bihar Staff Selection Commission through General Administration Department.
In the context of prohibition and excise, he informed that a total of 8,43,907 excise charges have been filed in connection with prohibition, of which 3,70,814 have been filed by the Prohibition Department and 4,73,093 by the Police Department. Apart from this, 12,79,387 accused have been arrested. Of these, 5,43,326 have been arrested by the Prohibition Department and 7,36,061 by the Police Department.
A total of 1,49,68,664 bulk litres of Desi and 1,96,93,058 bulk litres of foreign liquor, meaning a total of 3,46,61,723 bulk litres of liquor have been recovered. 96,68,194 bulk litres of liquor have been recovered by the prohibition department and 2,49,93,529 bulk litres of liquor by the police department. By August 2024, action has been taken to destroy a total of 3,38,22,056 bulk litres of liquor, which is about 98 percent of the total seized liquor.
A total of 1,24,658 vehicles have been seized in liquor related cases. Of these, 71,727 have been seized by the prohibition department and 97,929 by the police department. A total of 71,727 vehicles have been auctioned till August 2024, in which an amount of about Rs 327.13 crore has been received. Between April 1, 2022 and August 31, 2024, a total of 14,004 vehicles have been released on penalty, in which Rs 65.40 lakh has been received. A total of 8,208 buildings and plots have been seized in liquor related cases.
Under the provision of the Prohibition Act 2022 (Amendment), a total of 507 buildings have been exempted from penalty between April 1, 2022 and August 31, 2024, in which Rs 7 crore 19 lakh has been received.
He informed that while the call centre used to receive an average of 70-80 calls per day, now it is receiving about 300-400 calls per day. Police and excise department are conducting regular raids on the complaints received in the call centre. Raids are being conducted through motor boats in rivers to prevent smuggling of illegal liquor through waterways. While search operations are being conducted against illegal liquor in trains. 24×7 vehicle checking campaigns are being conducted at a total of 84 working checkposts.
At present, 41 drones are working in the districts. Continuous raids are being conducted against illegal liquor through drones and from January 2022 to August 2024, 97,688 raids have been conducted in various districts and 2,960 cases have been registered. Also, 16,78,032.74 bulk liters of liquor and 75 vehicles have been seized and 1,845.26 lakh kg of material has been destroyed. A total of eight satellite phones have been provided in the districts. While seven speed motorboats and six inflatable motorboats are working. Continuous raids are being conducted against illegal liquor through motor boats. In the period from February 2022 to August 2024, a total of 51,445 raids were conducted in various districts and 1,300 cases were registered and 91 persons were arrested. At the same time, a total of 6,85,043 liters of liquor was seized and 658.68 lakh kg of Java Mahua was destroyed.
Drum cutters and drillers have been provided to all districts. The help of sniffer dogs is being taken to catch liquor related cases. So far 33 sniffer dogs have been deployed. The Excise Department has a total of 890 server driven breath analyzers available in the districts. Also, 12 hand held scanners are working at the check posts.
