THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though the State Government has decided to implement e-stamping facility after the Telgi stamp paper scam, it has not taken any initiative in this direction as an alternative is yet to be found for income generation for the stamp vendors.Registration Minister T M Jacob recently announced that the e-stamping facility to check stamp paper frauds would be introduced soon.The previous LDF Government had selected Stock Holding Company of India Limited (SHCIL) as the nodal agency for implementing the project and it was stalled following political pressure from the Stamp Vendors’ Association.Sources from the Registration Department said that the e-stamping facility had to be implemented as it was the policy of the State Government.No steps have been taken further to implement it as the vendors still insist on continuing with the conventional method of issuing stamp paper.The Finance Ministry has also proposed e-stamping facility for denominations above Rs 20,000 in association with Central Record Keeping Agency which is also yet to be implemented.The facility is a computer-based application where fraudulent practices can be prevented and SCHIL is the only agency approved by the Government of India. SCHIL proposed to introduce the system through banks and post offices which can bring in additional revenue for the government.The stamp duty payment and generation of a stamp duty certificate takes not more than three minutes with the new system.Stamp Vendors’ Association is of the view that an alternative system which could incorporate the existing vendors should be evolved. There are around 1,500 vendors in the state who will be rendered jobless if the system is implemented, said Bhasi, a member of the Association.The Association has earlier submitted a memorandum to the government stating that around 3,000 persons will be directly involved, including assistants and temporary vendors. The approved stamp vendors should be made part of the system, they demanded.
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