Jammu, Dec 26: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has emphasized the need for a swift deployment of digital services in Jammu and Kashmir. In a meeting aimed at assessing the availability and usage of digital services in the region, Dulloo highlighted the importance of in-house capacity building within the IT Department to provide effective solutions to users across various sectors of society.
Dulloo emphasized that technology plays a vital role in addressing the challenges faced by the population today. He emphasized the need for a multipurpose digital platform designed to offer genuine solutions to the issues faced by people belonging to all sections of society. The chief secretary stressed the significance of making these services easily accessible and faster for all users in J&K after making them available online.
The chief secretary also pointed out specific areas such as agriculture, horticulture, skill development, entrepreneurship, credit, and grievance resolution as crucial focal points of this digital platform. He emphasized the importance of devising an interactive mechanism for grievance redressal, ensuring that complainants are periodically updated about the status of their grievances.
Furthermore, Dulloo called for an increase in the number of Village-level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) in order to facilitate service delivery in remote areas of J&K. He urged the authorities to establish strict guidelines to ensure the timely delivery of e-services to applicants, thereby complying with the Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA).
In terms of accessibility, the chief secretary directed the simplification of application formats, making them user-friendly for all individuals. Additionally, Dulloo stressed the importance of raising public awareness about the benefits and availability of online services through sustained Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns.
The chief secretary called for a comprehensive study to evaluate the penetration of services in all districts of J&K, as well as their uptake by users. Additionally, he emphasized the significance of a robust cybersecurity plan and data recovery measures for the e-office. Dulloo stressed the importance of real-time data backup to ensure data security.
During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary of Information Technology, Prerna Puri, highlighted the department’s significant contribution in increasing the number of online services from 35 in 2019 to 1102 presently offered by 72 departments, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), universities, and colleges in J&K.
The push for a speedy rollout of digital services in Jammu and Kashmir reflects the government’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that citizens across all sectors of society can benefit from online services. With a focus on accessibility, genuine solutions, and public awareness, the government aims to connect the unconnected and enhance the overall efficiency of service delivery in the region.
