HMC to introduce online-based office management system

Kolkata: Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) to go almost paperless are steps are taken to introduce online-based office management system ensuring faster execution of work.

According to a senior official, the civic body is going for a major computerisation by introducing the ERP based integrated e-governance system. It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had directed all departments of her government to ensure e-office. Now, the HMC is going to introduce the system. The tender has been floated for the work.

The HMC officials expect that it will take around one-and-a-half-year to complete the entire work of computerization from the time the work starts.

At present, all files are needed to be carried manually from one officer to another.

But with introduction of the computerised system of office management, there will be all e-files and the location of the file can be easily tracked.

Bijin Krishna, Commissioner of Howrah Municipal Corporation, said: "Introduction of the new system will ensure faster execution of work." Moreover, all the information, which is needed by officials of the civic body at every moment for execution of tasks, will also be easily available and can be accessed in a click.

Citing an example, an official said let us consider an official needs to check status of a particular plot or of a building situated on a plot. In a single click, the official will get every information including number of floors of the building, whether it is commercial or residential, or tax related data in detail on their computer screens. The software that will be developed will also help officials to get trade license related information and grievance related issues will also be sorted out using the same.

It may be mentioned that the civic body has already introduced the system of online payment of property tax.

It will also get incorporated with the new system. With the initiation of the online system of paying property tax, residents of Howrah no more needs to visit the offices of the civic body to pay their property tax and they can make the payment from their smart phones itself. There will be two interfaces of the entire system. One is for the citizens and the other is for officials of the civic body to execute all necessary tasks.