The Times of India 17.09.2009
'MMC website will offer many services'
MARGAO: Signs of revival of the citizens facilitation centre (CFC) at the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) are palpable. For starters, the civic body has decided to launch its website that is designed to offer a host of services to the city residents. The e-venture is likely to be dedicated to the city on October 2.
"This was a step that was long overdue. The chief officer has taken some positive steps in streamlining the administration and the launching of the MMC's website is a step in that direction," MMC chairperson Savio Coutinho told TOI.
The website is designed by National Informatics Centre (NIC). Chief officer of MMC Prasanna Acharya, known to be a tech savvy officer, has already held discussions with the NIC officials to ensure that the project is completed within the set deadline. When contacted, Acharya informed that the website was aimed at ensuring transparency and providing efficient services to the people. He said that additional facilities and services will be introduced into the system gradually.
It may be recalled that the MMC has earned a dubious reputation for its ignominious failure in running the CFC despite spending a whopping Rs 60 lakh on the project.
The project failed to take off as the software produced by the officials of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), on which lines the CFC was designed, could not match MMC's administrative requirements.
Presently, at the MMC, apart from the birth and death certificates issued with the KDMC facilitated software, issuance of only tax and trade licences is facilitated at the CFC based on the NIC (National Informatics Centre) software.
Coutinho, speaking to TOI, said that the council was determined to put on tracks the derailed project, but didn't fail to take a dig at his predecessor whom he blamed for the doomed project. "There were wrong people at the wrong time that led to the project's failure. I'm confident of re-launching the CFC," Coutinho said.
"This was a step that was long overdue. The chief officer has taken some positive steps in streamlining the administration and the launching of the MMC's website is a step in that direction," MMC chairperson Savio Coutinho told TOI.
The website is designed by National Informatics Centre (NIC). Chief officer of MMC Prasanna Acharya, known to be a tech savvy officer, has already held discussions with the NIC officials to ensure that the project is completed within the set deadline. When contacted, Acharya informed that the website was aimed at ensuring transparency and providing efficient services to the people. He said that additional facilities and services will be introduced into the system gradually.
It may be recalled that the MMC has earned a dubious reputation for its ignominious failure in running the CFC despite spending a whopping Rs 60 lakh on the project.
The project failed to take off as the software produced by the officials of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), on which lines the CFC was designed, could not match MMC's administrative requirements.
Presently, at the MMC, apart from the birth and death certificates issued with the KDMC facilitated software, issuance of only tax and trade licences is facilitated at the CFC based on the NIC (National Informatics Centre) software.
Coutinho, speaking to TOI, said that the council was determined to put on tracks the derailed project, but didn't fail to take a dig at his predecessor whom he blamed for the doomed project. "There were wrong people at the wrong time that led to the project's failure. I'm confident of re-launching the CFC," Coutinho said.
