Central Government has conferred a national award on Chhattisgarh for its Geographical Information System (GIS), the Government said in a statement on Friday. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Friday conferred National E-Governance Award-Gold on Chhattisgarh’s GIS system under the category ‘Innovative use of GIS Technology in e-Governance, at the National e-Governance Workshop organised by Central government in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Chhattisgarh Government’s Principal Secretary for Information Technology Aman Kumar Singh received the award from Gujarat Chief Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has congratulated the winners including Chhattisgarh through Twitter. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said, “it is a memorable day for entire State” and congratulated Aman Kumar Singh and all the officials, employees and people of state for this achievement’.

In the National Workshop, Deputy Chairman of Chhattisgarh Info-tech Promotion Society (CHiPS) AM Parial was also present. Chief Minister Raman Singh has said that in past 11 years, Chhattisgarh has made many commendable achievements in IT sector. He stated that GIS data will be utilised in formulation of scheme even at Panchayat-level. In this way, rural areas of the State will also have the advantage of information technology.

Along with Chief Guest Anandiben Patel, Secretary Central Government for Information and Communication Technology RS Sharma, Secretary Central Government for Administrative Reforms and Public Grievance Department Alok Rawat, CMD of Tata Consultancy Services N Chandrashekharan, NESCOM Chairman R Chandrashekhar and many other IT experts from across the country were present.

On the occasion, Principal Secretary of Information Technology Aman Singh said that under the competent leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh, CHiPS has launched and expanded the GIS Project. CEO CHiPS Saurabh Kumar said in the context that in 18th National E-Governance Workshop, GIS project has been selected for Gold Award in Excellence category for year 2014. Jury constituted by Government of India’s Administrative Reform and Public Grievance Department evaluated the project in November.

CHiPS has been receiving national as well as international awards for its commendable works in the field of E-Governance. In 2014, CHiPS has bagged Dataquest “e-Readiness Award” for extensive use of IT services in state and CSI- Nihilent e-Governance Awards for Sustained Excellence in e-Governance (State Category). Besides the GIS project has also bagged CSI- Nihilent e-Governance Sustainability Award.