The Hindu 18.11.2009
BBMP aims for better quality through e-governance
Staff Reporter
| Civic body wants to cut costs, boost revenue earning potential |
Tenders to be procured online to ensure greater transparency People can register complaints on phone or by email
BANGALORE: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP) is planning to take a majority of its activities online in a bid to improve the quality of service and reducing the cost incurred in rendering them.
Speaking to presspersons after a conference on implementation of e-governance, BBMP Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena and Administrator K.M. Shiva Kumar said that now tenders would be procured online to ensure greater transparency and ensure more competition amongst bidders.
Mr. Kumar said e-procurement was expected to save the BBMP close to Rs. 350 crore, and that this was “just a small portion of what would be saved perpetually”.
Project monitoring
The other major e-governance project was a web-based project monitoring system on which work progress at remote construction sites can be independently loaded by the contractor as well as the inspection agency stationed at the site. Of the 15,000 projects, information on 9,000 had been uploaded, and the remaining would be done in a week, Mr. Kumar said.
Also on similar lines were assessment of property through satellite imagery or the Geographic Information System, GPS for garbage disposal, “Spandana”, a public grievance system, an online system for monitoring court cases, an online khata system, a web-based birth and death registration system, integrated financial management and online bill payment among various others.
Troubleshooting
Online monitoring of projects enabled the top brass track the progress of projects. “Timely monitoring at a higher level can sort out most problems,” Mr. Kumar said. Moreover, satellite imaging would help track unassessed property, and the potential revenue from this would be close to Rs. 700 crore to Rs. 800 crore, doubling the BBMP’s income.
Mr. Meena said that people could register their complaints on “Spandana” telephonically, by filling the online registration form, by email or by texting.
A. Venkatesha, Deputy Director-General, National Informatics Centre, said the entire online setup was foolproof and there was no scope hacker attacks.
Mr. Venkatesha said that the system was equipped with technologies such as digital signature and 64-bit encryption, which made snooping impossible.
Mr. Meena said the BBMP would be training its staff in the newly introduced technology as well as public relations.
To register grievances online logon to http://spandana.kar.nic.in or call 9841844444 or 22660000.