Digitise Jammu and Kashmir cabinet records: Omar

IT-savvy Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday stressed on e-governance to galvanise the service delivery system for transparency and responsiveness in state administration.

The chief minister ordered digitisation of records of the state cabinet.

"e-governance is right initiative to provide good governance and remove all kinds of red tape that hampers delivery of services in a time-bound manner," he said adding that his government's focused concentration on information technology (IT) and science and technology (ST) sectors is yielding encouraging results.

Omar said the process of change in the functioning of government departments through IT initiatives and e-governance measures would bring revolutionary turn around in the system.

Taking review of the achievements registered in the departments of information technology and science technology at a high-level meeting in Jammu, the chief minister gave the nod to the digitisation of cabinet records and approved Rs.40 lakh for the purpose.

Abdullah directed for exploring possibilities of direct placement of 1.5 percent budgetary grants earmarked in each department for e-governance to the IT and ST department making it accountable for initiating measures for total e-governance in the government departments in a phased manner.

"Planning and development department should look for working out a viable and befitting strategy in this regard", he added.

The chief minister was informed 17 departments have been covered under e-procurement while 1,074 tenders valued Rs.500,634 lakh have been floated till date.

A vision document for Rs.427 crore has been prepared for implementation in the state for realising various short-term and long-term goals in the IT sector.

The meeting was informed that 28 mini and hydro electric projects of about 50 MW capacity have been taken up for execution during the current year.

It was also said that work is in progress to explore launch of 2000 MW projects in Kargil and 5000 MW in Leh district of Ladakh region.