State Government’s ‘Chhattisgarh Infotech and Biotech Promotion Society’ (CHiPS) has been awarded the prestigious National e-Governance Award (GOlD) for the year 2014-15 under the category Innovative use of GIS Technology in e-Governance,” officials stated. This year, the award will be presented during the 18th National Conference on e-Governance scheduled to be held at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on January 30, 2015. The GOlD Award carries a certificate for the project and one certificate to each team member along with a cash award of Rs2 lakh, they stated.
Chief Minister and Minister In-charge for Information Technology Raman Singh has congratulated the officials of Information Technology Department and CHiPS while stating that with the use of Information Technology, Government services has to be provided at the doorstep of the citizens in a transparent manner. Principal Secretary of Information Technology Department Aman Kumar Singh said that to recognize and promote excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India confers national awards every year during National conference on eGovernance.
The recognition for GIS project is for using GIS technology in e-Governance in innovative and effective way which resulted in delivering enhanced value to its beneficiaries. Singh said that this system has been prepared and is being extensively used under the able guidance of the Chief Minister, Minister In-charge for Information Technology & Chairperson, CHiPS.
During the last one year, GIS Based Web Application has been developed for PWD, Plotting and Mapping of school GPS points of villages of Chhattisgarh for Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha Mission, prepared Atlas and provided maps on watershed with 15 thematic layers and prepared development plan of district Surguja, GIS Based Web Application for Plotting and Mapping of Transmission lines and Substation GPS points for CSPTCl, Plotting and Mapping of Transmission lines and Substation GPS points for Power Grid etc.
He further informed that the Chief Minister has instructed to use GIS data to prepare for Panchayat-level plans. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CHiPS Saurabh Kumar informed that Government of India awards GOlD and Silver medal each year to recognize achievements in the area of e-Governance. Field assessment was done by Selection Committee in the month of November followed by presentation at New Delhi in front of award selection committee members consisting of officials from Govt. of India, Academia and Industry.
CHiPS has developed a comprehensive Geographical Information System (GIS) having 37 primary layers for more than 20,000 villages of the State in collaboration with ISRO. Chhattisgarh has the distinction of being the first State to digitise its land records and it has completed 100 per cent of geo-referencing of villages (cadastral maps). A software for mutation has been developed for the first time in country to capture mutation of land records on browser at remote location, officials stated.
The data of the GIS system is being used by most of the departments/companies/organizations of the State. Apart from these, industry and institutions are using this data for preparing their plans. Many other States in the country have been inspired by the e-Governance initiatives of Chhattisgarh state. CHiPS have been receiving national as well as international awards for its commendable works in the field of e-Governance. This year, the State 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.