BSS :
The initiatives of a2i (Aspire to Innovate) project of the Cabinet and ICT Divisions supported by UNDP have emerged as blessing for the people, especially those living in marginal area, in terms of making life easier and boosting people’s access to citizen services.
Some initiatives such as National Portal, Digital Centre, National Helpline-333, e-mutation, MyGov, e-Nothi, Muktopaath, Teacher’s Portal, Konnect, NISE, ekPay and ekShop of a2i have transformed people’s dreams into reality, especially in the remote areas.
According to a study, the digitalization has saved as many as 5 billion physical visits, 11 billion dollar and 9 billion workdays of the citizens. Also, the a2i won a lot of awards at both national and international levels in recognition of its initiatives to reach its services at the doorsteps of the marginalized people and establish an innovative culture in the country.
E-mutation management system, which allows applicants to change the title of the ownership of land from one person to another using an online platform at a very short period of time and at lower cost, has been managed to improve the overall efficiency and transparency of service delivery, along with reducing corruption and harassment.
As of now, 47.71 lakh land cases out of 54 lakh have been settled through this system, implemented in 492 upazilas with about 4,500 offices including 20 circle offices.
“That was surprising for me to change the ownership of our land within a very short period of time and at a lower cost through the e-mutation system”, a school teacher Habibur Rahman told BSS.
Mutation system was a complex one due to the practice of paper-based, manual record-keeping, which was often found inaccurate and there was also lack of coordination among different land administrative departments of different ministries, he added.
Besides, e-mutation initiatives, being implemented with the technical assistance of a2i, received the United Nations Public Service Award 2020 in the category of ‘Development of Transparent and Accountable Government Institutions.
Meanwhile, more than 300 services including job advertisements, admissions information, submitting online applications, scanning photos, getting passport forms and even booking air tickets, have been brought at the doorstep of the people through the 7,600 digital centres that have appeared as a “lighthouse” for the people in rural areas.
The centres have provided more than 56.75 crore services along with enabling more than 15,000 entrepreneurs including 5000 women to become self-sufficient, according to the data.
“The people of the remote area are considering the UDC as a ‘lighthouse’ as a radical change has taken place in their life and livelihood after its journey one decade ago,” entrepreneur of Charbata Union Digital Centre (UDC) under Subornachar upazila in Noakhali district Jubaer Ahmed told BSS.
Besides, the young generation is setting up a worldwide network by getting involved with information technology, he said, adding that social networks are rapidly reaching out to young people in remote areas.
He said that the people of his union used to travel 35 kms (in some cases 50 kms) to reach the district headquarters for taking government services but now they get such services easily sitting in their respective unions.
With an aim to bringing dynamism, transparency and accountability in the activities of government offices, a2i project has brought e-Nothi system, an online office management system for handling documents electronically instead of the conventional procedure and as of now, more than 1.51 crore files have been disposed by e-Nothi system.
a2i has so far converted 2000 citizen services out of 2100 services to digital services as part of transforming the government’s manual services into digital services for achieving the goal of Digital Bangladesh.
National Information Portal, a web portal incorporating more than 51,500 websites of different government’s departments including all unions, upazilas, districts, divisions, directorates and ministries, has brought all government services under one platform to ensure the rights of citizens to information.
