‘Resists Govt policy to promote e-governance, transparency’
The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) that acts as an interface between the State Government and the people of Uttarakhand, seems to be in no mood to rejig its style of functioning, a denial-mode that goes against the cornerstone of the State Government’s policy to make things in the public domain transparent and to promote e-governance.
What is worrisome is that DIPR’s website uttarainformation.gov.in has remained non-functional for nearly eight months since December 2013. But surprisingly, the officials concerned of the DIPR who are responsible for highlighting the State Government’s programmes and policies, seem the least bothered about reinstating the modern vehicle of communication.
Now, there is a refrain that incompetence and more importantly, unprofessionalism have eaten their ways so deep that it keeps discouraging the officials concerned of the DIPR to go for the course corrective. This is why, as runs the refrain, there is no serious effort to have the website restored. It involves labour as it would have to be maintained daily-the pains they are reluctant to take.
The fact is that the website had remained suspended even during the general elections held this summer. The people are at the receiving end as the website was remaining dysfunctional. The professionals and the tech-savvy common people are now perforce banking on other sources of communication to get details of the Uttarakhand lok Sabha poll results.
A website can be described as a window through which one can have a glance at the composition of a department and its functioning, including financial transactions. Though all payments, including salaries, are being disbursed through e-payment in the State, people who have to do certain financial transactions and other works and seek certain information from the DIPR are having a tough time.
“For example,” said an owner of a small newspaper, “earlier we used to get all the necessary information through its website uttarainformation.gov.in. Now, this website remaining suspended for a long period, we have to go to the office of the DIPR, Dehradun to get our works done.
There are over 12,500 small newspapers being carried out from different parts of Uttarakhand. With the DIPR website remaining suspended, all have to rush to the State capital to get works done. It not just consumes time but it is financially burdensome too.” When asked Yogesh Mishra, Assistant Director (Information), media centre, Haldwani, admitted while talking to The Pioneer that the DIPR’s website has remained suspended since December 2013. Quizzed on its restoration, he maintained that only senior authorities of the DIPR can enlighten on this.