VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government is estimated to have suffered a revenue loss of Rs 150-200 crore following the statewide pen-down strike launched by document writers and allied personnel on July 20, demanding the withdrawal of G.O. Ms. No. 396, which provides for the establishment of Registration Seva Kendras (RSKs).
The strike severely affected property registrations across the State. Official figures show that only 1,946 registrations were completed during the first three days of the agitation, most of them being release deeds, generating a total revenue of Rs 13.68 crore. On July 20, 646 registrations were recorded, fetching Rs 5.75 crore in revenue.
On July 21, registrations dropped to 606, generating Rs 3.16 crore, while 694 registrations on July 22 brought in Rs 4.77 crore. Before the pen-down protest, the Registration Department was recording 12,000 to 14,000 registrations every day, earning nearly Rs 60 crore in daily revenue.
With normal registration activity coming to a standstill, the Government is believed to have incurred a substantial revenue loss over the past three days.
In an effort to end the impasse, the State government on Thursday held discussions with representatives of the State Document Writers’ Association. Commissioner and Inspector General of Registration and Stamps Dr BR Ambedkar chaired the meeting at his office in Tadepalli.
According to an official statement, the Commissioner explained the objectives behind the proposed Registration Seva Kendras, their functioning and the services they would provide to the public.
He clarified that the centres are intended to ensure transparent, faster and more convenient registration services and would not adversely affect the profession, livelihood or rights of document writers.
The official release further stated that the Association representatives were satisfied with the clarifications, withdrew their strike and assured that document writers would resume services across the State from July 24, enabling registration activities to return to normal.
However, the Document Writers’ Association disputed the government’s claim and maintained that the pen-down agitation would continue. State Document Writers’ Welfare Association president PV Subbarao, who attended the meeting, said their principal demand for the withdrawal of G.O. Ms. No. 396 remained unaddressed.
“We met the Inspector General and requested that the government revoke the G.O. He only explained that the proposed Registration Seva Kendras would not harm document writers but did not speak about withdrawing the G.O. Our demand remains unfulfilled. We were made to sign a document under coercion, which is unfair. Therefore, we will continue the pen-down agitation until the Government withdraws the G.O.,” Subbarao alleged.