Pune: PMC To Appoint Officers At Ward Offices To Resolve Birth, Death Certificate Issues

In a major relief for citizens facing delays in correcting birth and death certificates, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will appoint dedicated officers at every regional ward office to assist applicants and resolve grievances.

Announcing the decision, Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale said the move follows growing public inconvenience caused by the suspension of correction services for nearly a month due to technical and administrative issues. The designated officers will be available daily from 11am to 1pm to hear citizens' complaints, guide them through the required procedures, and facilitate immediate corrections in the software wherever possible.

Bhimale said the civic administration will approach the Maharashtra government to seek powers allowing the PMC to directly correct errors in birth and death certificates, including names, dates of birth, parents' names, gender, and spelling mistakes.

He noted that software-related technical glitches have left thousands of applications pending, severely affecting citizens seeking admissions to schools and colleges, passports, Aadhaar updates, voter identity cards, inheritance claims, banking services, and other government-related work.

During the Standing Committee meeting, the administration was directed to submit a detailed report on pending applications, software deficiencies, the status of digitisation of nearly 2.4 million records created before 2019, correspondence with the state government, and a definite timeline for resolving the issue.

To provide immediate assistance, each regional office will establish a dedicated help desk where appointed officers will explain the correction process, verify documents, and guide applicants, reducing the need for repeated visits to municipal offices.

Bhimale further said the PMC administration would pursue the state government for a clear regulatory framework to streamline the correction process. He added that BJP legislators would also raise the issue at the state level to expedite a permanent solution.

The Standing Committee has instructed the administration to launch a special drive to clear pending applications, rectify software issues on priority, introduce an online application tracking system, deploy additional manpower, and submit a time-bound action plan. Bhimale expressed confidence that these measures would ensure the timely delivery of essential civic services and prevent similar disruptions in the future.