E-Governance initiative paying dividends
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's initiative, which ensured implementation of 100 percent e-governance in the state, is paying dividends during the nationwide lockdown.
Officers are working in alternate shifts, but have kept the files moving even being far from offices, ensuring timely implementation of schemes and projects taken up by the state government to fight COVID-19.
According to a senior officer, at present the state government is at the second stage of e-governance, under which a series of mobile apps are getting introduced for timely and easy execution of projects.
This became possible as the first stage of e-governance that is introduction of integrated financial management system, workflow based file tracking system, etc. is already complete.
The Mamata Banerjee government has also been acknowledged with the national award for e-governance for the same.
A robust online-based mechanism has been put in place to track the COVID-19 situation in the state and it has become possible as the platform of e-facilities was already in place due to the proactive steps of the Chief Minister.
Data that the ASHA workers or even common people are keying in through the Sandhane app, is getting directly uploaded in the dashboard at the state secretariat. It is helping easy identification of vulnerable spots.
Similarly, Sneher Parash app for providing financial support to people stuck outside the state and Annyodatri app for procurement of rice from farmers, were introduced just within a couple of days after the plan was mulled.
"The days of carrying piles of files in cars from one office to another to get them signed by concerned officials is now a matter of the past. It is not only saving time but fuel worth a few lakhs as well. It is crucial at a time when the state government has taken up austerity measures with a considerable drop in revenue generation due to the lockdown," the officer said, adding that an officer can also initiate a file, which can be easily traced even if he or she is unavailable.
With e-governance in place, the list of beneficiaries of different projects along with all their details are easily available and the same can be accessed by officers in both the state headquarter and the districts.
Availability of such data is helping to fight the COVID-19 situation, as beneficiaries can be reached easily to
provide them with necessary support amid this "crisis situation".
