Delhi Lt. Governor to DDA: Use Online Service Delivery Channels
The use of digital technology for citizen services will not meet its objectives if the citizens are not able to transparently track their communications online at every step of their movement in a government office.
By Rakesh Raman
The new Lt. Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal who has recently assumed office after the resignation of Najeeb Jung has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to provide its services to people using digital modes of communications.
Mr. Baijal, who is also the chairman of DDA, was visiting today the Nagrik Suvidha Kendra (citizen service centre) set up at the DDA office in Vikas Sadan in New Delhi.
He has directed the DDA officials to work on redressing public grievances online and assured that he will keenly watch timely completion of projects.
As digital technology will eliminate the need for physical interactions between citizens and DDA officials, it will help check corruption in the department responsible for local urban development.
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However, the existing DDA website is so archaic that it cannot handle public communications. Most government officials are under the impression that emails can help deliver citizen services. But that is not true. Government officials hardly respond to emails – partly because they shirk work and partly they lack writing skills.
The use of digital technology for citizen services will not meet its objectives if the citizens are not able to transparently track their communications online at every step of their movement in a government office like the DDA.
In order to achieve this goal, the DDA website needs to significantly change its interface in order to provide the right UX (user experience or UX is a tech term) to external online users. Plus, the DDA should release periodic reports publicly to inform about its performance in terms of online service delivery.
In fact, the revamping of the websites and online content management are among the immediate imperatives in all Delhi government departments. It won’t be a bad idea if the Lt. Governor begins this process from his own office website.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a government award-winning journalist and social scientist. You also can visit the REAL VOTER – Politics in India Information Center that he manages.
Photo courtesy: Delhi Government
