KMC saves paper, issues over 70K digital birth, death certs

Kolkata: Saving paper, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued more than 72000 digital birth certificates and close to 75000 digital death certificates using the Janma-Mrityu Tathya Portal (JMTP) while disbursing over rupees one crore till December 2024 under the state government’s ‘Somobyathi’ scheme to help the poor perform last rituals of their family members.

According to KMC, it had started using the state’s JMT portal following the directive of the state bureau of health intelligence for issuing birth and death certificates. This has allowed issuance of digitally signed certificates with QR codes in a PDF format which could be easily printed out as and when required.

The beneficiaries can even verify the certificates by scanning the QR codes through the portal.

KMC officials are of the opinion that following the introduction of this portal, the system of issuing manually signed copies in pre-printed papers at the cost of Rs 100 per copy has been discontinued. Statistics shared by the civic body revealed that from January 1 to December 14, last year, 72877 digital birth certificates and 74944 digital death certificates were issued in the city through the JMTP.

Further, under the ‘Somobyathi’ scheme of the state government, implemented for the poor in KMC area in 2017, the civic body has disbursed Rs 1.14 crore approximately in the financial year 2024-25 till December 14, 2024. In 2023-24 FY, the amount disbursed was approximately Rs 1.61 crore.

It was learnt that such payment was done as a one-time assistance to the next of kin of the deceased person.

It was paid to ones belonging from poor economic strata who do not have the financial capability to perform last rites in regard to cremation/burial. Such amounts were disbursed through different KMC crematoria and burial grounds in the city.