PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday launched the door-step delivery initiative of his government services in rural Goa -- the Gramin Mitra Initiative -- at an event held at the Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan.
Sawant said, the initiative is a significant step towards bridging Goa's rural-urban divide and aims to empower rural communities with access to information and opportunities and drive socio-economic growth.
Selected government services will be delivered at the doorstep of Goa rural population saving them time and resources.
"The Gramin Mitra project is poised to revolutionize the way public services are delivered in Goa, enabling rural communities to reap benefits of technology and innovation," Sawant said, adding that the initiative reaffirms his government's commitment to inclusive development.
He said, the improved access to essential services will enhance productivity and improve quality of life.
The chief minister also said, that it will foster entrepreneurship and contribute to sustainable growth of rural communities in Goa.
The initiative is piloted by the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communication and aims to promote digital empowerment of the rural populace in Goa.
Tourism and IT Minsiter, Rohan Khaunte, who was also at the event in Raj Bhavan, it is an important step towards achieving a digital-first State.
"We are committed to working closely with our partners to ensure its success. The program will help us accelerate the delivery of e-governance services to rural areas across the State," he said.
CSC e-Governance Services Limited is the partner taken on board by the IT department to manage the initiative. A formal MoU has been signed by the MD and CEO of CSC e-Governance Services Limited, Sanjay Kumar Rakesh and IT Director, Suneel Anchipaka, IAS, on behalf of the Goa government.
How it will work (SUBHEAD)
Citizens will have to request public services by calling a dedicated Call Centre number, which will operate from 8 am to 8 pm through the week. A 'Gramin Mitra' will then visit the resident's home and assist in applying for the desired service, collect prescribed fees and documents required.
The fees and the documents will then be deposited by the 'Gramin Mitra' with the specific departments and the service or document sought will eventually be delivered at the resident's doorstep.
A call centre is to be established by the State government which will receive and record all calls, maintain logs and provide other necessary support services. Additionally, call centre executives, trained by the State Government under the supervision of DITE&C, will respond to the calls and provide assistance in explaining the service delivery mechanism.
The State government through the IT department will train Gramin Mitra (Digital Cadets) who will be equipped with IT gadgets to efficiently deliver services to applicant residents.
An Allocation of Work Committee of the State government will oversee geographical allocation among Gramin Mitras in both North and South districts through eight Common Service Centers (CSCs), a project was first initiated to improve efficiency of several public services in the Revenue department back in 2018.
This CSCs were then extended to other departments to cover in all 170 plus State government services which are now available through eight CSCs across the State. It is through these CSCs that gramin mitras will operate.
Union Minister Shripad Naik and Rajya Sabha MP and Sadanand Shet Tanavade also attended the launch event.
