Manual stamps have been discontinued in this state; you can now generate them yourself; learn the complete process.

The 126-year-old stamp system in Madhya Pradesh will soon be discontinued. E-stamps will replace them. Let's explore the entire journey of manual stamps.

India has seen many changes in recent times with the rapid advancement of technology. The age-old postal service was also recently discontinued. Following this, preparations are underway to phase out manual stamps in Madhya Pradesh.

Indeed, like telegrams and money orders, the time has come to say goodbye to the 126-year-old manual stamp system. The government says this will save the government ₹34 crore. The new e-stamps will replace the old manual stamps. Let's learn more about this in detail.

When were manual stamps introduced?

The history of manual stamps is quite old. The British introduced stamp duty in 1694 to cover wartime expenses. Subsequently, the Stamp Act was enacted in India in 1899, marking the first manual stamp. However, many people began counterfeiting stamps. To prevent this, watermarks, microtext, and a unique serial number were added, thus establishing the manual stamp industry. This stamp duty contributed 8 to 10% of the revenue of many states, including Madhya Pradesh.

Why was it necessary to discontinue it?

The reason behind the discontinuation of this 126-year-old manual stamp system is solid. In 2003, a stamp scam involving 30,000 crore rupees was uncovered. Furthermore, it is costing the government a significant amount, as its printing, transportation, and security costs an annual 34 crore rupees, which is quite significant. Additionally, all manual stamps above ₹100 were discontinued in 2015. Currently, stamps below ₹100 are printed only at the Hyderabad and Neemuch presses.

E-Stamps to Replace

With the discontinuation of manual stamps, new e-stamps will replace them. E-stamps are significantly superior to manual stamps. They are a modern, digitized version of the manual stamp. According to the government, e-stamps will easily track who purchased a stamp, when, from where, and for how much, thus preventing complaints of fraud and double-selling. Therefore, a proposal to discontinue manual stamps has been sent to the state government.

Generate e-Stamps Yourself

Revenue officials say that with e-stamps, people will no longer need to queue at banks or offices to purchase stamps; anyone can generate them digitally themselves. This facility was launched in 2015. Few people know that Madhya Pradesh is the only state in India that issues e-stamps through its own software, while other states do not. In other states, these e-stamps are issued through a third-party agency, the Stock Holding Corporation of India. The individual simply pays the money, which is deposited with the agency and then transferred to the state government. In Madhya Pradesh, the entire amount goes directly to the government.