The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Social Welfare Department uses IT to bring in reforms

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Thursday, Jan 01, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Social Welfare Department uses IT to bring in reforms

Special Correspondent

Videoconferencing at students’ hostels, district centres

175 students’ hostels in different taluks to benefit from the initiative
Facility will help monitor and review progress of schemes launched by grassroots-level agencies

BANGALORE: The Social Welfare Department is going hi-tech as it takes up a new initiative of adopting IT as a tool to bring in reforms in its organisation. In the first phase of the initiative, the department will provide satellite and internet-based audio-videoconferencing facilities to 175 students’ hostels being run by it in different taluks.

Announcing this at a press conference in Bangalore on Wednesday, Minister for Social Welfare D. Sudhakar said that already audio-videoconferencing facilities had been set up in 25 hostels and district centres of the department.

The facility had been inaugurated a few days ago.

The Minister said that such a facility would help senior officials of the department to monitor and review the progress of various schemes being implemented by grassroots-level agencies , directly from Bangalore. This would save time and money. Besides, such an initiative would also help in quick redressal of grievances.

Interactions

Senior officials would hold regular interactions with inmates of hostels and wardens through this facility to review the quality of services, he said. It would also be used to create awareness among people about various schemes being implemented by the department.

Social Welfare Department Secretary Bharatlal Meena said the above facility would be used by subject experts and scientists to coach students at the department’s hostels. English classes would also be held with the help of this facility. It would cost about Rs. 1 lakh to set up videoconferencing facility at each centre, he added.

At present, the department provides hostel facilities to about four lakh students in its pre and post-metric hostels.

But the demand for hostel accommodation is so high that only 10 per cent of the demand was being met, he said.

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