BHUBANESWAR: Even as Orissa is struggling to better its sagging image of a poverty-stricken state in the country, its district authorities are making all-out efforts to obtain ISO-9001 certificates by improving their service delivery process.

After Dhenkanal district took the initiative and got the certificate a few months ago, the number in list of hopefuls is growing fast.

Several district Magistrates have already started taking steps to simplify government procedures on their own level before they seek intervention of consultancy agencies to apply for certification.

Infrastructure Development Corporation of Orissa (IDCO) and Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) have already secured such quality certificates before.

The Bhubaneswar-branch of the Government-run National Productivity Council (NPC) has forwarded proposals offering its service to 29 districts for obtaining these certificates. The NPC is hopeful that Collectors will expedite the process after the ongoing panchayat elections.

"We have already accepted the NPC proposal. Once the election process gets over, we will certainly move forward in this direction," Sundargarh Collector Sujata Kartikeyan said.

The response from Collectors of Jajpur and Mayurbhanj districts was identical.

The Dhenkanal district administration had obtained the ISO certification during the tenure of Usha Padhee, who has since joined the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department. Moreover, Koraput district police were in the process of simplifying procedures with an apparent objective to get quality certificate. Damanjodi police station in the district was first such police organisation in Orissa to go for such standardisation.

An NPC official claimed there had been visible change in the service delivery system in Dhenkanal district after they went for the standardisation.

Consultant in demand

Besides, other Government departments have sought help from consultancy agencies to bring effect reforms in their functioning.

The NPC has reportedly taken up anther project as to how office productivity in WCD department could be enhanced.

Similarly, Orissa Construction Corporation (OCC) hired the NPC to obtain ISO-9000 certificate. On the other hand, Orissa Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC) and Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) have already taken guidance from the Council to make their organisations more competitive by effective use of their human resource and restructuring the business.

"Most of the State Government offices lack human resource planning.

More than 90 per cent of government employees do not get skill enhancement training from their recruitment to retirement.

The feedback from grassroot workers is rarely incorporated in the policies," NPC Deputy Director Ramakrushna Padhy said.

"For an effective government system, documentation and continuous evaluation of service delivery procedure are needed. Before the Government takes up e-governance projects, standardisation of system is necessary," Mr. Padhy said.

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