KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to submit a comprehensive implementation timeline for its Enterprise Digital Transformation Programme (a project to digitise and modernise the Board's administrative functions) after recording that earnest and effective steps were being taken by all the stakeholders concerned to implement the project.
A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice KV Jayakumar issued the direction after the Board apprised the court of the progress made in implementing the programme. The Bench asked the Board to place on record a detailed implementation timeline indicating key milestones and expected dates of completion so that the progress of the project could be effectively monitored by the court from time to time.
The Board submitted that it had complied with several directions issued by the High Court earlier, including opening a dedicated, ring-fenced Project Management Unit (PMU) savings account with the State Bank of India, obtaining government no-objection certificates (NOCs) for key officials associated with the PMU and commencing implementation activities in accordance with the roadmap approved by the court.
The Board also informed the court that a meeting with domain experts held on June 24 had decided to make Sabarimala the priority implementation site for the pilot rollout of the project. It said it would begin documenting the existing business processes (known as an "AS-IS" study), followed by module-wise workshops to finalise the functional requirement specifications for priority modules, particularly Accounts, Temple Administration and Sales, with a view to implementing them before the forthcoming Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.
According to the Board, procurement of office space for the PMU is underway, while hardware is proposed to be procured through Keltron, with the formal agreement being finalised. It also informed the Bench that the K-Suite file management system has been implemented for the PMU's day-to-day operations and that the Board had informed the court a dedicated accounting software was expected to be operationalised by the second week of July.
The Board has also approved an advance of Rs 15 lakh to meet the PMU's initial operational expenses, including office setup costs, staff-related expenditure and procurement-related outflows.
Recording that earnest and effective steps were being taken by all the stakeholders concerned, the High Court directed the Board to file the implementation timeline so that the progress of the project could be effectively monitored by the court from time to time. The matter has been posted to August 17.
