Tuki urged to iron out NeGP issues

Our Correspondent

Itagar, February 1: The Human Rights of Aruchal (HRA) has in a representation urged the state government to iron out issues related to the halted implementation of tiol eGovernce Plan (NeGP) in the state.

Approved by the Centre in 2006, the NeGP is aimed a improving the delivery of government services to citizens and businesses by making services easily accessible through common delivery outlets at affordable costs.

The state government had in 2007 appointed Kartaka–based Keonics as the implementing agency for NeGP projects, and the firm began work on setting up the state wide area network (ARSWAN) and the state data centre (ARSDC) projects. However, the projects were aborted in 2012 without any explation.

The Keonics approached the court, and the Supreme Court advised the state government to arbitrate with the firm as per the terms of agreement. But instead, the state council has repeatedly floated tenders for the same projects when the matter is in the court, the HRA said.

The council floated tenders for an SSDG portal and the eDistrict project under the NeGP, but neither of the two can be implemented without ARSWAN and ARSDC, it said. On the other hand, the HRA claimed, the state council leased out a plot of land in ESS Sector to a company for setting up a business school but has not yet handed it over to the company.

It suggested that the government cancel all the tenders issued against ARSWAN, ARSDC and eDistrict, complete the arbitration, and then sequentially float tenders for ARSDC, ARSWAN, eDistrict and other mission mode projects after drawing a clear ICT roadmap with the DIT.

It said the state council should hand the plot of land over to the company concerned as a business school is required in the state.  Meanwhile, the HRA urged the government to appoint an officer from the APPSC cadre to the post of the information & technology director and to ‘maintain norms’, saying it would otherwise launch protests and approach the court.