Janakpurdham gradually adopting technology for promoting good governance

Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City is emphasising the use of information technology for the promotion of e-good governance and making the service delivery smooth, systematized and efficient. Mayor Manoj Kumar Saha said the submetropolis in Dhanusha district is taking initiatives for technology improvement in line with its policy of maximum use of information technology for resolving the hassles the citizens face while completing the paperwork visiting the office time and again.

As the Mayor said, initiatives have been made at present to manage the technology required for delivering service to the citizens using information technology and for making the sub-metropolis’ internal service flow technology-aided. “We have started works for operating the e-attendance and providing the facility by which service-seekers can present the details online. We hope this will make the sub-metropolis’ services prompt and promote transparency in its works,” Saha said, adding that they are in the process of developing digital information system for paying tax. Chief Administrative Officer Ratnesh Sashi said the sub-metropolis is laying stress on maximum use of technology to provide the various services to the citizens.

“We are moving ahead to make all types of services at the sub-metropolis digitalized as far as possible. We have already started using the Local Level Consolidated Fund Management System software as directed by the Comptroller General Office,” Shashi said. He said they have already written to the Office for adopting Revenue Management Information System (RMIS) and the Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City would be the first local level throughout the Madhesh province once it comes into implementation. It has already adopted the electronic fund transfer system. The sub-metropolis also has the plan of developing mobile app for making the sub-metropolis fully technology-friendly.

Similarly, an online system is being developed through which details of plans, cost, implementation area and the progress of projects can be seen. “Initiative has been taken to make service delivery more technological and systematic. A plan has been set to make arrangement where taxpayers could make online payment of integrated property tax, house rent tax, other business tax, as well as revenue in course of making digital city”, shared Shashi. Similarly, there is a plan to develop online system so that ward offices and ward health posts inside the sub-metropolitan city could be monitored from a single place, as well as activities have been forwarded for social security registration by appointing computer operators at 25 wards.

Activities have been forwarded to develop integrated network in order to monitor through CCTV of the area from a single place for the security management as Janakpur is a religious place. Around 50 CCTV have been installed inside the area. Mayor Saha said, “We have launched ‘Visit Janakpur’ App to get know Janakpurdham closely. It will help in easy access to all activities if digital coding of all houses here is done.” Deputy-Mayor Kishori Sah pointed out the need of encouraging access and use of information system in ‘Tax to house’ in order to develop sub-metropolis as citizen service centre. Activities are being carried out prioritizing the use of technology in order to facilitate plan formulation, monitoring ad complaint management, she shared.