All IAS officers in Maharashtra will now have to get more Internet-savvy and introduce e-services in their respective departments.
This is because e-governance will be one of the objectives considered in their annual Performance Appraisal Rules (PAR) on the basis of which their
promotions would be marked.
The initiative will mean better transparency and quick service for citizens. And the government expects that making it a condition to determine the officers’ performance would give a push to implementation of e-governance initiatives, which has been one of the priorities of the government for some time now.
On Wednesday, Chief Secretary J.P. Dange issued a Government Resolution (GR) making it compulsory for every officer in-charge of the respective departments to introduce e-services, including displaying information on the departments online, paying bills, Internet banking, tax payments among others – which should be mentioned in their appraisal forms.
The services, it explains, should be such to provide more convenient and efficient services for the public and internal functioning of departments.
E-governance initiatives should be introduced in every department possible where there are applications, submissions, and information required and even for attendance purposes through the biometric system, the GR says.
Many such departments have already introduced citizen- friendly services. The department handling property tax or water tax in the civic body has introduced a service where one can pay bills online. Cyber cafés have been roped in for the convenience of people who do not have computers or have the time to go to ward offices.
The state finance department has initiated a software whereby all expenses incurred by departments in the entire state can be accessed online — making it hassle-free and paperless.
The state income tax department has also introduced a service, which enables a person to file his returns online.
The regional passport authority in Mumbai allows you to apply for a new passport or renew an old passport online.
“The officer should explain about the e-governance initiative he has taken up — the service it is providing, current achievements, its sustainability and how it is expected to shape up in the following year,” the GR says.
The deadline for submitting the form with the e-governance initiative mentioned for every IAS officer is April 30.