In an initiative to reduce the citizen-Government gap, the UT Administration has launched mDirectory — a mobile directory that provides contact details like address, telephone number and email address of the offices of UT Administration and key officials in Chandigarh.
A spokesperson of the UT Administration said that mDirectory developed by the UT Department of Information Technology can be downloaded free of cost from Administration’s web portal www.chandigarh.gov.in and it would also be made available for download from Government of India’s mobile app store.
This on-the-go app provides contact details of various departments of UT Administration that anyone may need anytime, anywhere. This intuitive android based mobile app has a simple user-friendly interface and enables the users to run searches based on the names of departments, officers and their designations.
The spokesperson said that this electronic directory has been integrated with Google Maps and it also provides to its users the shortest route to reach the offices listed in it. This first-of-its-kind mDirectory, to have been launched by any state/union territory, once installed, works without internet connectivity ie in the offline mode.
The mDirectory of Administration was formally launched by KK Sharma, UT Adviser to the Administration on Tuesday. Sharma said that Administration recognizes the potential that the convergence of mobile communications and mobile devices specially hold for improving the government-citizen interface.He said that mDirectory will go a long way in heralding an era of mGovernance in the region. Sharma also urged the Department of IT to develop more such public utility apps for convenience of the residents.
Prerna Puri, UT Secretary Information Technology said that mDirectory would enhance public’s accessibility to the Administration. She informed that the app lists around 400 entries and provides an interface for the users to directly call or email various officials of Administration from within the app.“The Department also plans to add some more features in this app to make it even more useful,” she added.
The UT Department of IT is conceptualizing few more mobile apps as well. These include mDirectory of public services, a mobile app for submission of public grievances, mobile app for RTIs among others.