CoalMin wants other ministries also to go 'totally digital'

After its announcement to go "totally digital", the Coal Ministry now wants other ministries to do away with physical files and move them into a digital format, saying it will help ministries exchange papers and documents electronically.

Meanwhile, the Coal Ministry has advanced the date for going "totally digital" from November 1 to October 16.

"We have discovered the value of transparency and technology in the ministry first in the context of the coal block auctions, then in the context of increase in coal production and now (we are) taking the final step in the terms of doing away with all physical files," Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said.
 

"And we are now writing to other ministries that if they also do the same thing then the inter-ministerial movement of papers and files would be electronic. We are very hopeful that it would happen," he added.

"Our obsession with technology has gone to the extent that within the Coal Ministry from October 16 this year...There will be only digital papers and digital files which will move in the ministry...No physical files under the ministry," Swarup said.

"Date for going totally digital in Coal Ministry advanced from 1st Nov to 16th Oct. All files & papers to move in digital format," Swarup had earlier said in a tweet.

In line with the Centre's ambitious 'Digital India' initiative, the Coal Ministry had earlier announced that it has decided to move all papers and documents in digital format, a move aimed at bringing more efficiency and transparency.

Among other ministries, the HRD Ministry had also said it is working to ensure that degrees and certificates are given to students in digital format from the 2017 academic session onwards.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had said the government wants to make the whole apparatus digital and besides receiving certificates in digital format, students would also be able to upload their other certificates and awards in digital format, he had said.

The government had launched the Digital India Programme last year with an aim to transform the country into a digitally empowered and knowledge economy.