The Hindu                09.12.2013

Techies to aid urban governance

Special Correspondent

Plans for contest on Anna University campus in Chennai

With the idea of improving urban governance in the State, the office of the commissioner of municipal administration has decided to seek ideas from IT professionals.

It has planned to hold a contest on the Anna University campus on December 14 and 15. Inputs from the professionals will be utilised to develop e-governance applications for 126 municipalities and nine municipal corporations (barring Chennai), in areas such as civic services, urban sanitation and hygiene, solid waste management, health, education and the internal working of urban local bodies.

Called ‘Hackathon,’ the contest is expected to see participation of ‘hundreds of IT professionals,’ according to Chandrakanth Kamble, commissioner of municipal administration.

A jury comprising academicians of Anna University and seasoned civil servants will choose the best ideas, for which prizes will be given on the second day of the event.

Mr. Kamble told reporters on Friday that given the increasing use of mobile phones and advancements in mobile phone technology, the proposed applications would be integrated with the existing framework of delivery of services, so citizens could avail of services in a simplified manner on an anytime-anywhere basis.

It had been proposed to take up a comprehensive e-governance project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, for which bids had been floated. After executing pilot projects in one municipality and one municipal corporation, the project was likely to be rolled out within six to nine months.

Mr. Kamble said 200 persons had enrolled themselves for the event, so far. Those interested can register on http://www.thoughtworks.com/events/cma-hac kathon-code-governance.

The Hindu               07.12.2013

CMA to take IT professionals’ help in improving urban governance

Special Correspondent

It plans to hold a contest on the Anna University campus

With the idea of improving urban governance in the State, the office of Commissioner of Municipal Administration (CMA) has decided to seek ideas and concepts from information technology (IT) professionals.

It has planned to hold a contest on the Anna University campus here on December 14 and 15. The valuable inputs to be received from the professionals will be utilised to develop further e-governance applications for 126 municipalities and nine municipal corporations (barring Chennai) in areas such as civic services, urban sanitation and hygiene, solid waste management, health, education and the internal working of the urban local bodies (ULBs). Called “Hackathon,” the contest is expected to see the participation of “hundreds of IT professionals,” according to Chandrakanth Kamble, Commissioner of Municipal Administration.

A panel of jury comprising academicians of the Anna University and seasoned civil servants would choose the best ideas, for which prizes would be given on the second day of the event.

Mr. Kamble told reporters on Friday that given the increasing use of mobile phones by people and advancements in mobile phone technology, the proposed applications would be integrated with the existing framework of delivery of services so that citizens got services in a simplified manner on anytime anywhere basis.

It had been proposed to take up a comprehensive e-governance project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), for which bids had been floated. After executing pilot projects in one municipality and one municipal corporation, the project was likely to be rolled out within six to nine months.

Pointing out that 200 persons had, so far, enrolled themselves for the event, he said that those who were interested to take part in the contest should log on tohttp://www.thoughtworks .com/events/cma-hackathon-code-governancefor registration.