The e-panchayat programme of Telangana government aimed to provide citizen’s services in villages will be launched at Domakonda mandal headquarters village in Nizamabad district, said Information Technology and Panchayat Raj Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday.
The programme will be initially extended to 150 mandals and thereafter to the rest of the State in a phased manner, he announced while reviewing the progress of National Optic Fibre Network works in the State.
Launch of e-Panchayats will take the fruits of e-Governance project to the most remote villages and simplify the delivery of many citizens’ services to the rural population, Mr. Rao said.
One-stop shops
They will serve as one-stop shops for payments related not only to consumer services but also many taxes.
The centres could facilitate cash transfers pertaining to multiple schemes and welfare programmes such as Aasara and MNREG works, he said.
To benefit ryots
By online dissemination of information pertaining to prices of agricultural produce and employment opportunities, the centres will benefit farmers as well as unemployed youth who are now compelled to visit the nearest city for such information.
Already, discussions have been held with various service providers, agents and software developers for designing e-Panchayat.
The plan is to use VSAT technology or fibre optic cable network for connectivity.
He directed officials to provide infrastructure and other facilities for the centres as also to choose and train educated women of 18 villages in Domakonda in running the e-Panchayats.
As a next step, the services will be extended to all 36 mandals of the district when the optic fibre network connectivity works will be complete.
Mr. K.T. Rama Rao asked officials to expedite the networking and complete the works for Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy and Khammam districts by June 2 so that e-Panchayats could be launched there.
Source: The Hindu