Kerala: Now, pay for cops' clearance for jobs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fishing in troubled waters, the state police has imposed a fee of Rs 1,000 for issuing the police clearance certificate (PCC) for job seekers to the UAE. So far there was no fee for this, and the new move comes after the UAE government made PCC mandatory from February 4. It has created resentment among young job aspirants. Sources at police headquarters said there was an earlier government order allowing the police to charge up to Rs 1,000 for PCCs, but not implemented so far.

The decision was taken at a meeting convened by chief secretary Paul Antony with senior officials including the state police chief Loknath Behera recently. “It contradicts concerns being shown by the government towards emigrants. Rs 1,000 may be a meagre amount for the government. But we are already struggling to meet the visa and flight charges,” said a UAE job aspirant who preferred anonymity. DC had earlier reported that the candidates seeking jobs in the UAE are being subjected to additional burden as they have to pay Rs 6,400 to a private agency, Fourth Force Surveillance Private Limited, for submitting the PCC and other documents at the UAE consulate. 

Though the consulate officials had not yet responded to DC query seeking clarification on the role of the private agency, sources said that the mandate given to the agency was to verify the veracity of the PCC submitted by the candidates.The UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram is catering to all south-Indian states. Meanwhile, the decision has also created some confusion among police officials. “The police also used to issue PCCs for various other purposes like foreign and domestic jobs. It is not sure whether the Rs 1000 fee would apply to them also,” said a special branch official.