The Times of India 22.08.2012
Implement e-governance in 7 days, civic chief tells staff
NAGPUR: Though Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has completed 95%
work on e-governance project and spent Rs 16 crore on it, it has not
been utilizing it. Municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane, on Tuesday pulled up officials for this and asked them to begin utilizing it in seven days starting Wednesday.The Central government had approved e-governance project on June 2, 2009, under JNNURM. NMC
was to prepare 49 modules for its 61 departments.
The project was to
replace paper work with computerized working so as to improve civic
services along with expediting the works and maintaining transparency.
Sources told TOI that Wardhane came to know of the reluctance of
officials towards e-governance during a review meeting on Tuesday.
“Thirty six of 49 modules are completely ready for use and also
connected with the server. But departments are not using it for obvious
reasons. Wardhane has directed all 61 departments to start e-governance
in seven days,” said sources.NMC officials are even submitting
false information to central and state governments.
In its recent
monthly progress report of JNNURM
projects submitted to the government, NMC had claimed that 95% work of
e-governance project was completed. It went on to claim that eight
modules were being used and work to complete integration of all modules
was in progress. The eight modules were birth and death registration,
citizen grievance monitoring system, accounting, property tax,
e-tendering, licences, water billing, building plan approvals and
personnel management system.
In reality just three departments
were using the e-governance. These are birth and death registration,
public works department and accounting, a senior official said.
“e-tendering implemented in the NMC was not part of e-governance
project. The citizens’ complaints were to be addressed through
e-governance but nothing is being done. e-governance in property tax and
water departments may minimize inconvenience to the citizens but
officials are ignoring it,” he said.
