Naidu: e-Pragati will enable real-time governance

‘It is an attractive programme that transforms the way the govt. functions’

Future-ready: N. Chandrababu Naidu having a word with Neil Jacobson, CEO, Future World International, South Africa, at the inaugural of e-Pragati, in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

e-Pragati will be the flagship programme that will help the government make a smooth transition from real-time government to real-time governance, said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, at the inaugural of a training programme for officers in the new mode of technology.

He said e-Pragati was one of the most attractive projects that would transform the governance in the State.

Tech edge

“We are fortune to be witnessing the fourth industrial revolution, wherein the common man benefits from technology,” he said, citing the example of a farmer who is using technology for better yield or the state machinery using it for cyclone prediction and to mitigate flood impact.

He went on to explain how after the Hudhud cyclone, which damaged lights across Visakhapatnam, the government opted for installation of sensor-based LED bulbs, thus saving ₹40,000 crore. He said digitisation of PDS and disbursement of pensions and scholarships also helped save money.

Collaborative drive

e-Pragati is State’s collaborative drive with the Indian School of Business (ISB), wherein the Digital Transformation in Pubic Governance Certificate programme would be taught to officers of various government departments by globally-renowned resident and visiting faculty from the ISB along with experienced industry experts with relevant subject matter expertise. It’s a month-long programme (one week theory and three weeks online). He said officers who would undergo the training would be change agents. Citing the several forms of technology brought to use by his government, he said bio-metrics, sensors, CC cameras, digital cameras, and apps were some of them. Mr. Naidu said he was keen on creating institutes of excellence like he had done in the past by starting NALSAR and Urdu University in Hyderabad. Minister for Information Technology N. Lokesh said the State had come a long way from where it had started.

Role for drones

“Aadhaar-enabled PDS and pension disbursal had removed corruption. The Panchayat Raj wing is in the process of using drone technology for image recognition,” he said. “We are living in transformational times; we need to think ahead of times and e-Pragati will help us do that,” he said.

Neil Jacobson, CEO and Senior Partner, Future World International, South Africa, explained through a PowerPoint presentation the salient features and basic principles of the e-Pragati mode of technology.

Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar, Adviser to Government J. Satyanarayana, Principal Secretary, Department of IT, Electronics and Communications K. Vijayanand, CEO of e-Pragati Authority N. Balasubramanyam and others were present.