Planning Commission, ERD, IMED to be e-connected

FE Team | Published: June 23, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The entire internal and external functioning of three important wings of the government will soon be electronically connected to each other for better monitoring and implementation of development projects.
The government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been implementing a 'Support to Information and Communication Technology (SICT)' project for strengthening the Planning Commission (PC), the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).
Besides, the UNDP is also cooperating in implementation of another project styled 'Access to Information' to strengthen e-governance at the Chief Adviser's office.
Mia Abdullah Mamun, national project director, said initially the offices of the PC will be interconnected and then the connectivity will be expanded to other offices.
The project cost is estimated at $ 2.37 million. The UNDP is providing $ 1.0 million and the government $022 million.
Mamun said: "We may approach the UNDP for rest of the required amount for imple menting the project as per plan by 2008."
When asked, KAM Morshed, programme manager of the UNDP, said: "We are aware of it and also in touch with other development partners to mobilise the required resources to implement the project successfully."
Mamun said e-governance project cannot be implemented overnight. It needs to be done in phases, added.
The project also aims at creating awareness amongst government officials about the e-governance issue, he said adding procurement of hardware to support development of ICT infrastructure is underway.
Besides, he said, assessment studies are being initiated to determine the need for training and software development for the government offices.
On implementation of the project it will ensure better inter-departmental connectivity, Mamun said.
He further said once an office gets the facility of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), people will get better services, as access to information will be easier.
Mentioning another project in the secretariat called 'Backbone Project', Mamun said this will help connectivity among the ministries in the near future.
Sources said e-governance solutions, on the one hand, will ensure transparency and, on the other hand, accountability at different levels of the government minimising cost, time and hassles for the citizens.
The government formed the Support to Information and Communication Technology (SICT) taskforce in 2001 to strengthen e-governance in the country.