Bengal bags 'Digital India Award-2020' for e-Abgari project of the Excise Directorate

Kolkata: Announcing that the state has bagged Digital India Award-2020 for e-Abgari project of the Excise Directorate, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that seven other states have followed the footsteps of Bengal in implementing similar project that ensures "efficiency, transparency, while safeguarding health and the government revenue at the same time".

Introduction of e-abgari in 2015 led to a strategic administrative reform in the state's Excise Directorate leveraging state-of-the-art modern technology to render 45 e-governance projects.

"It gives me an immense pleasure to inform that 'e-Abgari' project of Excise Directorate, under the Finance Department, has been declared as WINNER of the prestigious DIGITAL INDIA AWARD-2020 for exemplary and innovative initiatives in the realm of Digital Governance,"

Banerjee stated in a tweet on Saturday.

It may be mentioned that e-abgari has come crucial when the state excise is the second highest revenue earning resource component in Bengal as it ensures hassle free online based tracking of production, distribution and sale of liquor in the state besides continuous monitoring of inventory of foreign liquor and country liquor production units.

The state witnesses excise revenue generation of around Rs 1000 crore per month. It also helps in checking revenue leakage and excise crime.

Around 4,000 hospitals and nursing homes in the state connect to e-Abgari to

procure or distribute lifesaving drugs.

At the same time around 7,000 licensed liquor retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distillers are connected through the same. People can also apply for new licenses or lodge grievances through e-Abgari.

She further stated: "With an extensive IT-driven process re-engineering, e-Abgari has completely transformed the activities of the Excise Directorate.

Further, this initiative has ensured efficiency, transparency, while safeguarding health and the government revenue at the same time."

States including Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Tripura, Sikkim and Assam have taken steps for reapplication of similar e-governance initiatives like e-Abgari.

In this connection Banerjee mentioned in her Saturday's tweet that "e-Abgari has been adjudged as a National Best Practice and 7 states have already adopted this model. Hon'ble President of India will be conferring this award to the West Bengal Team on 30th December. I congratulate the entire team that worked on this for making WB proud".