Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday emphasized the importance of implementing e-governance initiatives at all government departments in order to expedite the online file work and ensure efficiency.
Presiding over the review meeting of the Department of Digital Technology and Governance, he asked all the Secretaries Heads of Departments, Deputy Commissioners and Sub Divisional Magistrates to adopt an e-office system and take advantage of the technological advancements to adopt e-mail communication and discourage the present practice of sending physical communications whether external or internal. Currently, 50 percent of branches of the H.P. Secretariat and 24 directorates were using e-office. He stressed the need for making the Department of Education fully digitized by 31st August this year. He said that the employee and patients' data of IGMC Shimla and Tanda Medical College should be made online in a time-bound manner with the assistance of Department of Digital Technology and Governance.
"Embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies is the need of the hour to provide citizen-centric services to the people of the State on their doorsteps," Sukhu said and added that with the help of artificial intelligence, the State Government would have the facility of better data analysis for decision making. He said that AI would be promoted in Himachal Online Sewa, CM Helpline and in Education to provide better career opportunities to the youth. Under the e-district project 184 citizen services of 34 departments were being provided at present. Apart from this, 71 services were also being provided to the people through Lok Mitra Kendras in the state. He also underlined the importance of strengthening the Lok Mitra Kendras.
Sukhu said that GIS mapping of schools and health institutions of Shimla district would be done on a pilot basis. He said the state government was preparing a drone policy in order to regulate the operations of drones in various fields. Drone has been employed in agriculture, horticulture and health sectors on pilot basis and results are encouraging, he added.
CM launches HRMS online system of RD department
The Chief Minister also launched the Human Resource Management System (HRMS), an end-to-end online system of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department on Wednesday. He said this step would streamline the process of managing Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of all employees of these two departments, directly benefitting about 5,500 staff members. This user-friendly platform would simplify and expedite HR processes, leading to improved transparency and efficiency in the system, he added.
The State Government was planning to enhance the HRMS in the near future with additional modules, including features for managing Transfers, Postings, and Service Books for Zila Parishad employees. This will further augment the capabilities of our human resource processes, he added. Sukhu stressed on the need to incorporate artificial intelligence in the functioning of the department keeping in view the futuristic approach to provide better services to the people. He directed to make all the work online undertaken by the department in order to maintain transparency in the system.