CMS to roll out e-Suvidha in Lucknow

In a major step towards initiating the process of e-governance in the state, the UP government has signed an agreement with a Hyderabad-based IT firm, CMS Computers Ltd, for launching the e-Suvidha project in Lucknow from next month.

The agreement was signed by the state IT department and UP Power Corporation Ltd officials and CMS. E-Suvidha services will be free for the power consumer depositing bills at its centres.

Under the first phase, e-Suvidha would be launched in the state capital on August 8. It is expected to give consumers additional facilities to pay their electricity bills in over 32 centres.

Chief Secretary NC Bajpai said e-Suvidha would provide a total solutio- based package comprising hardware, software and connectivity for deployment, customisation and successful implementation of e-Suvidha on the build-own-maintain-transfer (BOMT) financial model. ''Consumers will not have to pay anything for the service rendered through e-Suvidha,'' he added.

Under the first phase, the following departments"" Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA), BSNL, Lucknow Nagar Nigam, Lucknow Development Authority, Lucknow Water Works , Regional Transport Office and UP State Road Transport Corporation "" would be taken up while in the second phase, the office of the district magistrate and SSP office, the office of the chief development officer of Lucknow, the passport office, UP tourism, the railways, stamps and registration and trade tax departments would join e-Suvidha.

CMS Managing Director Ramesh Grover said his company was the pioneer in the field of providing e-governance in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He said the company has invested Rs 5 crore for launching the e-Suvidha in Lucknow.

As per the revenue model decided between the government and the CMS, the IT form would get commission per transaction.

UP Power Corporation chairman Ashok Khurana said LESA would pay around Rs 10-12 lakh per month to CMS for collecting electricity bills through e-Suvidha. CMS would get Rs 5.25 per transaction made by any consumer through e-Suvidha.