Pune: With the demonetisation exercise of the government aiming at bringing a cashless economy, the office of state is yet to go hundred percent cashless. Although payment acceptance for most of the services offered by the IGR office has gone online, a hundred per cent implementation of the cashless services has not been achieved. The Stamps and Registration Department collects stamp duty, registration and document handling fees for various services provided by the office.

State Inspector General of Registration and Stamps (IGR) Anil Kawade said that the department accepts 97 per cent of the payment through online mode. 

“However the remaining three per cent which is accepted in cash format is handling charges. Moving ahead we will be going hundred percent cashless soon,” added Kawade.

A sub-registrar told Sakal Times that Department of Registration and Stamps was the first department in the state to use online mode of payment.

Cash transaction continues to take place at these sub-registrar offices. People also have to pay legal charges to lawyers for their property registration which is generally accepted in cash. The legal fees varies from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 or more. 

“I recently paid Rs 7,500 as legal charges for a property I bought for Rs 42 lakh. I was asked by the builder to pay legal charges in cash only,” said a person who recently invested in a property in Vishrantwadi.

Speaking about going cashless at sub-registrar offices, Advocate Amol Kajale-Patil, who aids people in property-related matters, said people should take the initiative for going cashless. “As the handling fees at sub-registrar offices depends on the number of documents and other things it is difficult to go cashless at these offices,” added Kajale-Patil. Speaking on the legal charges accepted in cash by advocates, he said that if legal charges is below Rs 20,000 advocates accept the money in cash.