Governor inaugurates a two-day Regional Conference on e-Governance
Skill development through technology is an offshoot of e-governance: Governor
Assam is effectively using technology, innovation and governance to create a novel process of citizen-government engagement
Guwahati,Rongili Barta- Assam Governor Shri Gulab Chand Kataria inaugurated a two-day regional conference on e-Governance in presence of Minister of State, Personnel Public Grievances & Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh at Assam Administrative Staff College here. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Shri Kataria highlighted the government’s commitment to realizing the vision of ‘Digital India’, with an aim to make India a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. “We are actively working to create a robust digital infrastructure that would serve the interests of our citizens and transform their lives. E-Governance is an essential part of our dream of Digital India. The technologies that we are infusing in Governance, are all aimed at making our life simple and easy,’ the Governor said. Highlighting on the importance of e-Governance, Shri Kataria also said that e-Governance removes several obstacles which otherwise slows down the pace of work and achievement of progress. E-governance ushers in transparency, eliminates corruption, timeliness of action, eliminates delay and reduces cost, and removes middlemen etc. The Governor said, “Our nation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading in digital technology. Further, the youthful energy that the nation possesses is our prized asset. We, are therefore, as a part of e-Governance putting greater impetus on skill development through technology.” The Governor also underlined the importance of m-Governance (mobile governance) which makes available services like bill payments, traffic alerts, traffic fine payments and other utility services through the mobile phone. It also ensures access to Sewa Setu, a comprehensive Citizen Platform for connecting government and citizens for time-bound delivery of services, as well as prompt redressal of grievances. He also said that Assam, which is a gateway to North Eastern states as well as to the South East Asian Nations, is a leading centre of IT that has cohesively merged technology, innovation and governance to create a novel process of citizen-government engagement. Shri Kataria however said that the change from conventional method to electronic filling requires a change in the mindset of the stakeholders. Therefore, the people need to adapt themselves to electronic processes to reap the full benefits of e-governance initiatives. It is therefore, pertinent on the part of different government agencies and other stakeholders to play a proactive role in facilitating this change. The success of e-governance completely depends on successful and smooth management of change, procedural, technological and cultural, the Governor added. The Governor expressed happiness that in Assam too, e-Governance is one of the major initiatives of the Digital Assam programme. Citizens of Assam are now availing various online services to apply for certificates, pay taxes and avail government schemes. “I am happy that the State Government is implementing projects like “Mission Vasundhara” for digitization and mapping of land records through technology, “Mission Sadbhavana” for digitization of official files in the Secretariat, “Kritagyata Portal” and “Jeevan Pramaan for pensioners. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with Government of Assam has organized the two-day Conference where Chief Secretary, Govt. of Assam Paban Kumar Borthakur, Secretary, DARPG V. Srinivas, Commissioner and Secretary, AR & Training, Shantanu Gotmare along with a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. A booklet on the Journey of 25 Regional Conferences and e-journal MGMG (July – Dec, 2023 edition) on e-Governance Initiatives was also released.