The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Government employees get a taste of e-governance

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Thursday, Aug 02, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Government employees get a taste of e-governance

Staff Reporter

BangaloreOne centre at M.S. Buildings will function from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

E-GOVERNANCE CENTRE: Chief Secretary P.B. Mahishi (second from right) along with Neerja Rajkumar, Additional Chief Secretary (right), showing the first bill at the inauguration of BangaloreOne Centre at M.S. Building in Bangalore on Wednesday.

BANGALORE: For the convenience of State government employees and the general public, the e-Governance Secretariat has started a new BangaloreOne Centre at M.S. Building.

The centre, inaugurated by Chief Secretary P.B. Mahishi on Wednesday, will offer service to employees working at M.S. Building, Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, High Court, Accountant General’s office, Bescom corporate office, Visvesvaraya Towers, KPSC, PWD and other adjoining offices.

Apart from paying water, power and phone bills and ING Vysya Life Insurance premium, the employees can book air and rail tickets, register for new passports, apply for renewal, BMTC bus pass, birth and death certificates, pay property tax and avail all other services provided at BangaloreOne centres in the city.

Giving details of the new service, Rajiv Chawla, Secretary to Government (e-Governance), told presspersons on Wednesday that the services would be available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on all working days. Train tickets would be booked at an additional cost of Rs. 6 per transaction, he said.

20 more centres

The Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) 20 e-Pragati kiosks are being converted into mini BangaloreOne centres. “The BDA handed over these kiosks to us recently and we are transforming them into our centres.

These centres, which will start functioning within a month, will have two or three counters but will provide the same services,” Mr. Chawla said.

Additional Chief Secretary Neerja Rajkumar said the department had written to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to provide land in the newly added areas to set up BangaloreOne centres there.

“My dream is to start one centre in each ward for the convenience of people,” she said.

Mr. Mahishi appreciated the new service and said bill payment was made easier and convenient for State government employees now.

“Earlier there was a proposal to start a Janata Bazaar in the M.S. Building. If that had materialised, employees would end up buying groceries and household items that could have been done even near their houses at their convenience. It is good that a BangaloreOne centre has come up here as unpaid bills will only add to the tension of employees,” he added.

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