Kerala is experiencing significant delays in the printing of RC and driving licence PET-G cards following an outstanding debt issue with Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI) in Palakkad. The Kerala government owes ITI Rs 14.17 crore, which has caused a slowdown in the printing process for these essential documents.
The government plans to settle the debts by the time the entire printing process is completed. Between May and July, 1.9 million cards were successfully printed, but further production was hindered by the financial shortfall.
Currently, only urgent requests, such as those required for foreign travel, are being processed. These cards include enhanced security features to ensure their authenticity.
A fee of Rs 245, including postal charges, is levied on each licence or vehicle owner for every smart PET-G card issued
In April 2023, the state transitioned to issuing modern smart driving licences with advanced security measures, and vehicle registration certificates followed in October. However, the printing of these new documents was interrupted due to the debt.
When the government cleared the outstanding amount in March 2024, ITI Palakkad resumed full-scale production, printing up to 30,000 cards each day. The facility also expanded its capacity to meet the increased demand and ensure that PET-G cards would be available to everyone by June. However, the process has been disrupted once more due to issues with payments from the state government.
Published: 07 Sept 2024, 01:08 pm IST
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