If these type of methods are adopted in capitals in all states of India, the inconvenience of the people would have become much lesser.
Renuka. Date:24/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/24/stories/2008022450430200.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back Kerala Lakshadweep moves ahead in e-governance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digital integration of services makes it easy for the people to access services without travelling to Kavarati. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An electricity consumer preparing his own electricity bill after reading the meter may be a dream in literate Kerala; but it is a reality on the Lakshadweep islands. This is the result of the e-governance initiatives launched by the Lakshadweep administration. The digitally-integrated Department of Electricity provides online services to consumers. All the offices of the department on the islands and the mainland are connected through NICNET-VSAT facilities. Web-enabled systems have been developed for consumer management, energy billing, complaints management, materials management and human resource management. The project is among the many prestigious initiatives launched by the administration, according to Lakshadweep Administrator B.V. Selvaraj. Through another major initiative, the employment exchange services had been brought to the very doorsteps of the people of Lakshadweep, he said. The total digitisation of employment services had facilitated online registration from any part of India or abroad, maintenance of seniority and online sponsoring of names to employers. The project could bring trust between government agencies and job-seekers, he said. Lakshadweep became the first Union Territory to fully digitise employment exchanges, Mr. Selvaraj said. It received the Manthan award for the best e-governance project instituted by a public-private body of information and communication technology professionals. Web-enabled ship ticketing system is another project undertaken by the Union Territory. All the 13 port offices of the administration are interconnected. The network has enabled web-based passenger and cargo booking. Ship schedules, ship ticket availability, status of ship tickets are now available on the Internet, providing transparency and easy access. Tickets, in any ship to any destination, can be booked from Kochi and Kozhikode also. The project had received Microsoft National e-governance award for 'innovative project.' A few of the other initiatives in e-governance include entry permit management system, student scholarship management system and medical inventory management system. The Dataquest e-Gov Champion award for Southern region has been awarded for the e-governance project initiatives undertaken by the administration. The e-governance initiatives assume importance as the islands face lack of adequate transport facilities. It takes around eight days during normal seasons and 15 days during monsoon to go to the headquarters at Kavaratti and avail of important services and return to the native island. R. Ramabhadran Pillai © Copyright 2000 - 2008 The Hindu To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
