Chandigarh, June 17 -- The Punjab government on Monday announced that it will delegate the authority for the registration and renewal of registration certificates (RC) and driving licences (DL) to regional authorities. This decision aims to address the growing backlog of RC and DL registrations and renewals, which has been pending for some time. Transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said that the move will offer significant relief to citizens across the state. "As per the new guidelines, applicants will now be able to get their old vehicles and driving licenses digitized online and renew the related documents with ease," Bhullar said, adding that the lack of proper approvals for renewal documents and the non-digitisation of records had become a major obstacle in clearing the backlog. The minister said that to streamline processing of these documents, instructions had been issued to all registering and licensing authorities in Punjab to prioritise and complete the pending work. Documents that do not comply with the requirements of the ministry of road transport and highways will be processed according to the guidelines laid out by the state transport commissioner's office, in a letter dated May 24 of the previous year. As part of the process, a verified affidavit from an executive magistrate will be required for RC and DL backlogs. This affidavit must include important details such as the online digitisation status, validity period, category, manual issuing authority, tax payment status, no objection certificate (NOC) for any dues and the accuracy of all related information. To further streamline the process, it has been made mandatory for applicants to upload a physical inspection report, which includes detailed verification of chassis and engine numbers by a motor vehicle inspector, when submitting their RC details online. Additionally, when processing RC backlogs, authorities will ensure that vehicle transfer records, including those of previous owners, are preserved. For DL backlogs, applications must be made through the original issuing authority. The licensing authority will approve the requests after the staff uploads authenticated copies of previously issued licences in the sarathi software, ensuring proper record-keeping. As part of the process, applicants will be required to submit the original copy of their licence along with proof of birth and address. To ensure transparency and accountability in the completion of backlog work, Bhullar clarified that a permanent departmental employee will be responsible for registering and verifying the backlog entries on behalf of the applicant. "The department will take full responsibility for any incorrect entries and regional authorities will be required to send daily progress reports of RC and DL backlog approvals to the headquarters," he said....