The administration of Narayanpet district, which is only six months old as it came into being on February 17 this year, has introduced the e-office system in as many as 20 district level offices already to make the official correspondence paperless towards the objective of taking governance closer to people.
“The idea of introducing the e-office system in the new district has stemmed from the ease experienced in transferring most of the files electronically from the mother district Mahabubnagar following the second reorganisation of districts in the State,” said District Collector S. Venkata Rao, who is taking the lead in pushing the system.
As part of the concept, all official correspondence and processes was made simpler, easier and time-saving as the documents (files) are maintained electronically, except a few which are required to be maintained physically, making the decision-making faster. The system is being implemented with the help of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), which has also developed the software required.
According to the officials, the e-office system was first introduced in 10 offices, including that of the District Collector, Joint Collector, District Revenue Officer, District Rural Development Office, District Panchayat Officer, District Social Welfare Office, District Backward Classes Welfare Office, District Public Relations Office and offices of District Manager (Civil Supplies) and Animal Husbandry Department.
On August 15, it was extended to 10 more offices which include Scheduled Castes Development Department, Fisheries Department, District Medical & Health Office, Handlooms & Textiles Department, District Civil Supplies Office, District Education Office, Office of Executive Engineer (Panchayat Raj), District Minorities Welfare Office, District Information Centre and Chief Planning Office.
“Complaints, representations and applications of various stakeholders are being processed swiftly in the paperless system, saving them from making rounds of the offices repeatedly. It’s also saving costs and improving the level of satisfaction to people concerned,” Mr. Venkata Rao said. Further, e-office is a good tool for clearance of files “whenever and wherever” with the help of a lap-top, he adds.
Training of staff
Along with developing the software, the NIC staff has given training to all district officials and support staff six times to make them well-versed with e-processing of files. The district administration is planning to introduce the e-office system at the division and mandal levels too after it is implemented at all the district offices.