Guwahati: “With the ongoing laying of 4G towers across the state in all rural and interior districts, almost every citizen will have access to the internet by the end of 2023,” Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu said on Thursday.
In a big boost for connectivity across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has installed 254 new 4G network towers and made them operational in 336 villages.
The move will provide much-needed internet and broadband connectivity to at least 70,000 residents around villages near the LAC in the Indian territory. The move comes even as China continues to expand infrastructure near the frontier regions of LAC.
“Our objective should be to bring all our citizens on these online platforms so that they can avail government services from anywhere without the need to make the round of government offices physically,” Khandu said while launching six new online services under the state’s ambitious e-Governance programme for citizen-centric and ease of governance services on digital and online platforms.
The launched portals are CM e-Jansunwai, CM Arunachal e-Seva, CM Dashboard 2.0, e-Pragati, Hospital Management Information System and e-Telemedicine.
The state government has so far launched 18 online services of the 22 proposed. Works are in progress to make available online three more services.
The state government had declared 2022-23 as the Year of e-Governance.
Complimenting the department of information technology & Communications, Department of Health and NIC for the successful launch of the online services, Khandu stressed on optimum utilization of the services by the citizens and departmental officers concerned.
“These services should not be confined to launching ceremony but must be taken to the users by creating awareness,” he said.
He suggested the IT&C dept to create informative audio-visual clips on ‘how to login/register’, ‘how to use the services’, etc and post them on various social media platforms to create awareness amongst the citizens.
He also asserted imparting proper training to officials of government departments, who will be providing the services online.
Khandu lauded the e-Jansunwai service through which he said people can connect to the government with their grievances without the need to seek an appointment with concerned officers, ministers or even the chief minister.
“This will ensure effective and efficient monitoring of grievances by various departments and will make our public service delivery system more robust and transparent,” he observed.
Khandu, however, insisted that the timeline for redressal of grievances, that is within 30 days, should be strictly adhered to.
Arunachal Pradesh health minister AloLibang, also present in the ceremony, took pride in the introduction of the Hospital Management Information System and e-Telemedicine services. He said Arunachal Pradesh is the first in the Northeast to launch online these services and stands at 5th rank in digitalization of health services in the country.
Libang too emphasized creating awareness of these services so that more and more people log in to avail of the services.
“Training should also be provided to elected representatives from ministers to gram panchayat members so that they can further reach out to common citizens and make them avail these services,” he suggested.
While the Arunachal e-Seva will provide a single platform for all online services (88 services currently) being provided by the state government, the CM Dashboard 2.0 will monitor all schemes and their implementation status to ensure delivery on the ground.
On the other hand, the e-Pragati (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) is a multi-modal platform to review and monitor programs and projects of central and state governments. It is an online system to monitor the status of 14 CSS schemes.
The Hospital Management Information System and e-Telemedicine will offer online services to the needy, wherein doctors will be available online for consultation and will give prescriptions online if required. All district hospitals are on board the platform and work is on integrating all health centers of the state.
The launch ceremony was also attended by the chief secretary, principal secretary (finance) and officials of administrative reforms, IT&C, health and planning departments.
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