IT based applications for common citizens services prove very effective in Bihar
Virchandra Paswan of Golkur in Nalanda district did not receive a satisfactory response for queries related to getting work under NAREGA earlier from the Block/Panchayat office. Paswan returned dissatisfied many times when he went there looking for work. The concerned officials many times expressed inability to allocate him work due to lack of official records or documents related to old work. Now the situation has changed. With the help E-Shakti card, not only Paswan, but thousands others like him have got relief from the all the paper work and are able to get jobs in time. Their full record is now checked easily and their income transferred directly to their bank account in the month end.
The Information Technology (IT) companies have immensely contributed to implementation of E-Governance in Bihar. The Bihar State Electronic Development Corporation (BSEDC), the nodal agency of the department of IT, Bihar Government is speedily implementing the E-Governance programmes in the state. department of IT, Bihar Government has also bags prestigious Manthan Awards and Golden Icon Awards for their JANKARI Project.The process of implementation of these programmes started in 2006. The in charge of the Stall of the BSEDC at the Bihar Pavilion at the 30th International Trade Fair said that till now 8,463 Common Service Centres have been set up in the 38 districts in the state, out of which 5,012 centres are already operational.
The initiative aims at providing all facilities to the citizens at their doorsteps under the National E-Governance Plan (NEGP). The government in partnership with IL & FS has established Bihar E-Governance Services and Technologies Limited (BELTRON) that is helping implement E-Governance in Bihar. BEST consultant Amit Goyal said that the government was putting its effort to take it to the people and there was also a need for creating awareness so that the common people could use the services. The State Wide Area Network (SWAN) has been established by the state government to fulfill all the Information and Communication related needs of all the government departments.
The government has implemented the ICT plan to train school students in Computers by establishing Computer labs in more than 1,000 schools. Every school has been supplied one server, 10 computers, one printer and scanner and related furniture. NIIT and Educomp have been given the responsibility of 400 and 600 schools respectively. Government’s E-District plan attempts to provide the common services to the people like Birth and Death Certificates, Ration Card, BPL Card. BEST’s director Arun Kumar Singh said that the providing the villagers services for the centres near them was the government’s priority. The CSCs under the name of Vasudha Kendra has been set up to provide the services as per people’s needs on a nominal payment. Under the plan employment opportunities would be created.for over 1 lac entrepreneurs over the state. Shrei Sahaj, Zoom Connect and SAARC System have been chosen to develop these Vasudha Kendra under the PPP model.
People seeking information under the Right to Information can make a call to the Call Centre set up by the government to facilitate them. This is the first attempt of its kind in the country to help people access RTI with the help of IT. Whereas the fee for this was to be deposited via Demand Draft, now it is included and charged in the Call Charges. BSNL has provided a number 155311 for the RTI Call Centre. For common and other information people can dial 155310.
