UP accelerating e-governance through Lokvani

Lucknow, June 23 (UNI) Encouraged with the success in the pilot Lokvani rural e-service project, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to implement the same throughout the state by July 15.

UP is also working on the introduction of e-governance, which is expected to be implemented within next three yrs.

The state has issued notification to start Lokvani e-service in all the districts for which societies had been formed in all places.

At present 28 districts have started the Lokvani project, with Sitapur being the first.

The central government had already selected Lokvani for the Golden Icon Award and it was among the 150 top projects under public administration category in the Stockhom International IT function.

UP minister of state for Information Technology (Independent charge) Rajendra Singh Rana told reporters here under Lokvani, people in rural areas could get information about court case, arms licence, land record, employment scheme, information about various development projects and other related information.

''People have to pay a nominal fee to get the information,'' he said adding Lokvani kiosks were being set up under private participation in rural areas.

Each district has been given Rs 4 lakh for installing kiosk at the collectorate, where people could get all the information.

Talking about e-governance, the minister said PriceWaterHouse Coopers (PwC) had been entrusted to prepare the road map for the project. The international consultants have already completed intensive study of 17 departments, while work was on for the extensive study of 38 departments.

''UP had already sent a proposal of capacity building for e-governance to the centre for approval under which Rs 75 crore investment was required in next three yrs,'' he added.

Under the e-governance plan, the government would enhance transparency in public administration and make the delivery system more effective.

Departments to be covered under the e-governance include land record, medical-health, secondary education, foods-civil supplies, labour, social welfare, road transport, property registration, agriculture, treasuries, municipalities, gram panchayat, commercial taxes, police and employment exchanges.

Narrating the new IT policy 2004, Mr Rana said several sops had been given to new companies investing in UP including -- recognising IT industry as non-polluting unit; single window system; 100 per cent duty exemption on stamp duty and registration for setting up IT unit and call centres; and investment of more than Rs 50 crore be termed as mega investment unit.

Announcing that many renowned IT companies were venturing in UP, he said NASSCOM was opening its office in Greater Noida, while companies like Wipro and NIIT had already started operation from the state.

UP had also sanctioned Rs 4.25 crore for setting up Software Technology Parks at Agra and Varanasi. The government was also preparing a policy to promote IT parks in the state.

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