The government has expressed its plans to roll out an SMS-based service to allow both people and government officials to ensure the tracking and delivery of government services. The system is aimed at taking advantage of both the growing number of mobile phone users in the State as well as the government’s expanding e-governance initiatives.
This was among the announcements made in the Assembly by Information Technology Minister Mukkur N Subramanian as part of his reply on his department’s demand for grants for 2013-14. Outlining the project, the IT Department’s policy note said the setting up of the Mobile Service Delivery Platform would be an important step in leveraging the high tele-density of Tamil Nadu to ensure the delivery of e-services.
Initially, about 10 services of the Revenue Department and the Social Welfare Department would come under the ambit of the SMS-based system. These would include the issue of certificates and the doling out of marriage assistance schemes. Once the delivery platform is standardised, the project would be expanded. The government has set aside `20 lakh for this.
Subramanian also announced that his department would set up 2,280 Common Service Centre across the State to expand the programme aimed at creating local e-governance service points that bring different departmental services under one roof, thereby doing away with the need for rural folk to travel long distances for governmental business.