E&IT Dept Makes Significant Contribution for Successful Implementation of Transformation Initiatives 

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday chaired a review meeting of Electronics & Information Technology (E&IT) Department.

During the meeting, E&IT Minister Tusharkanti Behera presented a brief on the important initiatives undertaken by his Department and the transformational impact these initiatives have brought on governance and citizens.

After the review meeting of the Chief Minister, briefing the media along with Principal Secretary of E&IT Department Manoj Kumar Mishra, Behera informed that the E&IT Department has made a significant contribution in the successful implementation of the government’s transformation initiatives.

The E&IT Department has created a conducive ecosystem in Odisha for attracting investments in IT and electronics sector. It has revolutionized the process of making government services accessible to the public by ensuring unified and decentralized governance through the provision of technical assistance, the Minister said.

In the past four years, new investment opportunities have arisen, with major private companies investing in Odisha. Some of the leading companies include Deloitte, IBM, Happiest Minds, PWC and others. Recently, four dedicated policies namely IT Policy, Electronics Policy, Data Center Policy and BPO Policy have been enacted by the Department to promote the IT industry. These policies have played an effective role in providing relatively favorable incentives to attract more investment in the state, he added.

More than 640 services are available in Odisha One Portal launched by the Government in 2021. Odisha One Portal provides citizens with simple, convenient, transparent and seamless (24×7).

Similarly, government services have been made available at the doorsteps of citizens through Mo-Seva Kendra. This has paved the way for setting up of entrepreneurship for rural youth and Mission Shakti SHGs. More than 6,900 Mo-Seva Kendras have already been set up in the state and this number will increase to more than 8,000 in the near future.

Optical fiber connectivity has been provided to all Gram Panchayats, thereby ensuring public participation in digitalisation.

The cooperation of the E&IT Department is evident in the successful implementation of other major schemes of the government. Citizens have been able to easily register their grievances through the Public Grievance Redressal portal launched in 2021. Under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana administered by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, more than 3.56 crore people from over 99 lakh families have been issued smart health cards. Among them, 49% are female cardholders.

The upcoming initiatives of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology will further facilitate the transformation of Odisha. It is planned to set up district data centers in Sundargarh and Jeypore. Smart Mo Seva Kendras will be established at all block headquarters along with expansion of Mo Seva Kendra and virtual meeting facilities to all Gram Panchayats. A cable landing station is going to be established at Puri. Semiconductor designing start-ups and medium and small entrepreneurs will be provided with funding and investment support through the O-Chip programme. Centers of excellence will be established in potential areas of technology and 3,000 individuals will be trained. Extending Wi-Fi connectivity to colleges and universities can positively impact the quality of education of nearly seven lakh students.