Seema Mishra
Inspired by techno-savvy Indian states like Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh, UP has finally decided to hop on to e-governance bandwagon to
offload factors which have so far dumped the state into the backyard of
mainstream development. It has planned to step into e-governance to initiate
better work culture, efficiency and coordination in the working. The blueprint
has already been drawn up and the launch is scheduled on August 15 this year,
says the brain behind the project Dr Murli Dhar Tiwari, who is also OSD of IIIT
Allahabad. The motto is governance anytime, anywhere and the objective is paying
the way for ‘e-nabled, e-ffective and e-xcellent’ governance he said.
Initially, e-governance would be implemented in 10 districts as a concept on an
experimental basis and later on extended to the entire state. Allahabad and
Lucknow is top on the priority list.
To begin with, sales tax department, stamp registration,
work management system and work order process from floating of tender to
execution and completion of work would be computerized. Police department may
also get this facility later on for filing FIRs with an online update on
vehicles. But feels Dr Tiwari that the challenge lies in successfully bringing
rural areas on e-governance. Literacy handicaps acts as the main
bottleneck. E-governance strategies have been successfully introduced in
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. UP government will follow AP model, a source says.
Asked about the e-governance plan, Commissioner Sadakant
commented, “I have no information about this project. Earlier, UPTRON produced
a system like this. It has not been implemented so far. But there is a need for
e-governance to make optimum use of existing facilities.” He stressed on the
need to train staff but lamented that many employees on the verge of retirement
were not interested in training. Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma, District Magistrate,
Kaushambi suggested e-governance as the need of the hour.
(CNS)