Telangana will perhaps be the first State in the country to go for a massive Aadhaar-based attendance monitoring system for various Government departments utilising the next generation devices mandated by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Telangana State Technology Services (TSTS), with a renewed mandate, is providing end-to-end software application for biometrics, authentication and real time monitoring solution so that about one lakh authentications could be done in a day, from various departments, said Commissioner (Electronic Service Delivery) & Special Commissioner (e-governance) G.T. Venkateshwar Rao
The application has been already successfully pilot tested in the GHMC with help of new generation devices (2,000 devices) and the Civil Supplies Department (15,000). Now, JNTU has been roped in and it would be soon taken to 6,000-odd government schools for checking on the students, followed by social welfare and other departments to monitor attendance and check on public funds spending too, he said.
Tenders called
Unlike earlier, when Government departments were individually buying the biometric equipment, many of which have become outdated, TSTS has been made the single-point agency to deal with devices and provide software application. It has called for tenders for supply and installation of device neutral 2.0 equipment on rental basis towards taking biometric details like Iris and fingerprints.
“This is to prevent redundancy of the equipment. Though 2.0 devices are available in form of tablets, pad and others, Point Of Sale (POS) devices are the most preferred choice as it is easy to operate though we are not specific on the kind of device to be used,” explained Mr. Rao.
‘Value to governance’
The Commissioner claimed that the TSTS initiative, by transforming into a IT solutions provider to the Government departments rather than merely go for hardware purchases, would provide tremendous value to the governance through this project.
It would help identify irregularities in public funds disbursal and ensure scholarships, salaries and pensions to the right persons.
TSTS, in fact, is in for a major overhaul in the functioning, once the division of staff with A.P. is completed.
The Government has sounded about hiring IT professionals into its fold for taking care of all the software solutions pertaining to different departments, he added.
