With a view to provide paperless and hassle free governance in the state, Punjab today took a giant leap by kicking of state wide e-district projects from Mansa after successful implementation of this prestigious pilot project in Kapurthala and SBS Nagar districts.This project was launched by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal across the state today at Mansa. Inaugurating the district e-office project at the cost of Rs. 41.70 crore, he announced that Punjab was all set to deliver citizen centric services online in the state within next 9 months with the cost of Rs 60.97 crore as Reliance would launch its 4G services in next 6 months. Adding further, he said that Punjab Government has decided to provide all delivery of services online instead of inline. "Minimal interaction between public and officials will certainly help to curb the corruption and delivery of services will be fast with such online applications," he said. He also said that “corruption occurred when common man came in contact with government official and with the E-District project, there would be no interaction between them”.
Replying to a question about the Lok Pal to eliminate corruption, the Deputy Chief Minister said that “ Lok Pal alone would not be able to wipe out corruption, but we have to computerized the whole system”. Describing this project as a milestone, Deputy CM emphasized that the main aim to initiate this project was to deliver good governance, maintain transparency, execute accountability and transform the present administrative work culture and ethics to serve the people better. It may be mentioned here that under the e-district project, citizens would be able to track the files and their status anywhere and anytime. He said that “it was my dream and I am happy that my mission and vision to be met in next 6 months”. He said that 47 public services would be made live for delivery of certificates like caste, residence, rural area, birth, marriage certificates, arms licenses, agricultural licenses, ration card, pensions, government dues & recovery and revenue court cases.
This project would be implemented in all the districts within a stipulated period of 9 months.Under this project 1500 offices from all over the state would be inter-connected with Punjab Wide Area Network (PAWAN) and more than 8000 government employees would be imparted computer training. He informed that Punjab is the first state in the country to launch the highest number of citizen services under e-district project and Punjab has bagged the “Skoch Order of Merit" medal in India’s best 2013 projects.The Deputy Chief Minister has also asked the Secretary, Governance Reforms Department, Mr. C. Raul to add more services under E-District Project like Right to Service act. Mr. Badal has also formally launched the project by handing over the Birth certificates to two newly born girls on the spot. Prominent amongst present on the occasion included MP Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Special Principal Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Director Governance Reforms Kavita Singh and Deputy Commissioner Mr Amit Dhaka.