Use technology in development of cities: Chief Secy

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 21

A city developed as a smart city from the very beginning might continue to be one if necessary tools were used to update and improve the citizen-centric services. This was stated by Chief Secretary VC Pharka said yesterday while he was presiding over an inaugural session of a two-day workshop on ‘Smart City 2017’ organised under the umbrella of the German House for Research and Innovation, New Delhi. He said unless information and communication technology (ICT) tools were used, it was impossible to provide better living conditions to people. Therefore, emphasis had to be laid on the use of the latest technology in governance, planning and development of cities.

The Chief Secretary said smart governance was the application of ICT tools and administrative initiatives for bringing about efficiency in the internal organisation of government functioning. It involves multi-level dialogue across all stakeholders, transparency, accountability, capacity building, skill development and upgrade of skills.

Online services of maps for the approval of construction, online payment of electricity, water bills, property tax in the Shimla municipal area, online booking of bus tickets and tourism hotels, issue of birth and death certificate, update and issuance of land record data etc. were some of the initiatives that had already been taken in the state, he said.