You can pay your bills at police stations soon

Arjun Raghunath First Published : 10 Jun 2010 04:17:08 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Police Department is actively considering a proposal to set up Akshaya centres at police stations and turn them into multi-service delivery points.
The top brass in the Police Department and the Akshaya project are drawing inspiration from the friendly face of Angamali police station, thanks to the Akshaya centre on its premises. DGP Jacob Punnoose had recently visited the Akshaya centre at the Angamali police station.
"It was a pleasant sight...to see people walking into a police station not only with their law and order issues but also for various other purposes such as remitting electricity and telephone bills,’’ Punnoose said. "Setting up Akshaya centres in police stations located in remote areas may not serve the purpose.
Hence, we are identifying police stations where Akshaya centres can be set up,’’ he said.
The Police Department is also working on a plan to make collection of various fines through Akshaya centres, it is learnt. "We have plans to collect the fines through Akshaya centres. But it will take some time as it involves various technical issues,’’ he said.
The Akshaya centre was opened at Angamali police station a few months back as part of the Janamaithri Community Policing programme.
Akshaya entrepreneur P V Philip had set up the centre at the land allotted at the entrance of the police station. Besides giving a friendly face to the police station, the Akshaya centre has turned out to be a help-desk of sorts, says Angamali SI Baiju Paulose.
The Akshaya centre collects a fee of Rs 5 per petition which also includes the cost of computer printout of the complaint. The fee is quite nominal as private parties were earlier collecting exorbitant charges from the public for preparing petitions, said a police official.