The Hindu : New Delhi News : Winds of change in good old DDA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 15, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Winds of change in good old DDA

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 14. The Delhi Development Authority is these days busy finalising plans for a comprehensive system which through the use of information technology would improve the functioning of the agency, make it convenient for people interacting with it online to access all relevant information and go to the extent of even facilitating making of payments and accessing of personal accounts through passwords.

A senior official said till now DDA did not have a totally computerised network and the arrangement was only piecemeal. So while certain areas involving public dealing had been computerised or made online, many of the key areas related to accessing of individual files or making of payments remained manual.

Though the coming in of computers in certain areas of public dealing such as housing, land disposal, allotments, and receipt and despatch of letters at the reception had to some extent minimised public interface with the personnel and therefore reduced allegations of corruption to some measure, it was felt that the purview of information technology in the functioning of the civic agency should be widened and made more comprehensive.

With the Union Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, insisting on DDA taking steps to develop a comprehensive approach for the use of information technology in its activities, the officials found in it an opportunity to bring in technology in a big way.

"We had been lagging behind in the introduction of technology in all areas as computerisation is a chain management process and involves participation of the employees,'' the official said, noting that the new dispensation and direction prompted the senior officials to go ahead with the introduction of technology in newer areas.

As the top leadership and administration is now inclined towards optimum use of information technology, the official said there is every hope of the system actually being put in place. "It is technically not difficult to develop the system. What needs to be worked out is how to associate every employee with it and train the end-users''.

The benefits of the system, the official said, would be many. It would do away with many of the manual procedures and consequent delays. "We are looking at the possibility of installing a system which provides people an access not only to the general information but also to their individual files. With the help of passwords, people will be able to access their files and see the status of their cases.''

The official noted that the system would try and make online payments possible. This would help minimise corruption by reducing public-personnel interface. Besides, cutting down on corruption, the system would also make it convenient for Delhi'ites to interact with DDA at every possible level.

DDA has also embarked on an ambitious Land Management Information System which with the help of satellite imagery and digitised maps would make life simpler for both its own staff and the public. It enables officials get relevant information on properties on their computers which would subsequently help the public gain quick access to this information. The official hoped that in the days to come these measures would also change the image of the civic body.

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