KOCHI: Kochi’s tryst with e-governance started early last decade. One of the first local bodies that offered basic registrations online, the Kochi corporation lost way later, with things looking in a sorry state now. At a time when the state is gearing up to launch online services across all government departments on November 1, the Kochi Corporation is clueless about implementing the project. Starting from the issuing of birth and death certificates to major registrations, the task on hand is quite big.
Tata Consultancy Services was the agency contracted to carry out the job, but the corporation parted ways with it last year and is yet to rope in a new firm. “We have asked the Information Kerala Mission (IKM) to issue birth/death certificates using the government software. It will be a boon for the residents who are forced to come to the office risking Covid infection. The LSGD secretary has already asked the IKM to initiate the process and it only needs to update the data held by TCS. We held a meeting with the stakeholders recently and has given a 15-day extension to start the work. We plan to restore the services without further delay,” said Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar.
The corporation had started offering basic e-governance services early last decade with the help of IKM, but revamped it in 2008 under the Union government’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. To complete the project, the corporation contracted TCS in 2011 at an estimated `8.10 crore. The agency supplied hardware and a few modules worth `5.1 crore, with the corporation paying `4.94 crore. Now, a decade later, the corporation has turned to the IKM again to restore the basic e-governance services.
It was decided that TCS would wrap up the entire process of launching services within 52 weeks, but unexpected delay and lack of cooperation from establishments led to various disputes.“TCS was supposed to provide 22 modules in total for the digital services, but gave only five in the last 10 years. Besides, several disputes are going on with the agency over payment delay. We need TCS’s support to hand over the digitised data to IKM for future services. The corporation will hold talks with the stakeholders in the coming months to solve all the issues related to the project,” said a corporation official.
The council had planned to entrust Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society for digitising the data but following Opposition’s protest, it has decided to float tenders to select suitable agencies.“Once the ongoing issues are over, the corporation will commence the tender process. We will also have to check the efficiency of the equipment bought for the project. Along with the selection of a new private agency, our priority is to resume the now-defunct services as soon as possible,” added the official.
ILGMS TO HANDLE KOCHI’S FUTURE
Integrated Local Governance Management System (ILGMS), developed by Information Kerala Mission, is expected to handle the Kochi corporation’s e-governance services in the future. The residents will be able to apply for birth, death and marriage registrations and also add or correct names online without turning up at the corporation office. The applicants will receive the necessary documents by email.Processing of the corporation’s files, including finance and accounting module, will be made online soon.
In a nutshell
e-governance service started with the help of IKM
It was revamped in 2008
Corporation contracted TCS in 2011 at an estimated C8.10 crore
Hardware and a few modules worth C5.1 crore was supplied
Corp has now turned to the IKM again