Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot stresses on online delivery of citizen services

JAIPUR: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said that providing good governance and access to all the services of government departments with the use of information technology is the top priority of the state government.

He directed officials to ensure online delivery of all types of citizen services.

He asked all departments to share information of schemes and programs on the public information portal by October 2 this year.

Rajasthan will be the first state to take such initiative for transparency and good governance using IT.

Gehlot was addressing the review meeting of the Department of Information Technology and Communications through video conference at the Chief Minister's residence on Tuesday evening.

In a statement, Chief Minister said that in order to promote entrepreneurship among the youth and students of rural areas, incubation centres should be established at the educational division level and startup activities should be encouraged up to the school level.

Gehlot said that the state government is giving priority to startup activities, but such programs are currently limited to big cities.

He asked officials to start Rural I-Start program on the lines of I-Start and connect the students of English medium schools opened by the state government, women self-help groups in rural areas, innovators, rural entrepreneurs etc.

The Chief Minister said that the complainants dialing on the 181 helpline contact portal should be satisfied in a better way and directed to ensure its effective monitoring.

Gehlot said that the Department of Information Technology has played an important role in COVID management during the pandemic.

He said that the department should document this work.

Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya said that the use of information technology is becoming important for taking good governance to the grassroots level.

People who are not able to take advantage of government schemes due to lack of information, there is a need to make them aware about the use of information technology.

Principal Secretary, Information Technology Department, Alok Gupta said that during the last one-and-a-half year, more than 500 meetings were organised through video conference by the Chief Minister.

About 6,500 meetings and interactions through VC from state capital to District and Village-Dhani level along with connecting migrant Rajasthanis and dignitaries settled in the country and abroad to ensure important information, guidelines and participation of all in COVID management.

Principal Secretary, Finance, Akhil Arora said that it has been decided to give work orders up to Rs.15 lakh to the registered start-ups in the state for selected works in various departments without tender system.

This will give a boost to start ups activities, he said.