West Bengal

e-Governance Initiative in West-Bengal

As part of the goal for adopting e-Governance West Bengal has introduced significant computerization at various levels in several Government Departments and Directorates. These include Finance, Labour, Transport, Panchayat & Rural Development, Land & Land Reforms, I & CA, Tourism Forest, Youth Services, Municipal Affairs, Higher Education, Environment, Housing etc.

Computerisation of land records, which started as a small pilot project in District of Bardhaman, has since been extended to all other districts in West Bengal. Out of 341 blocks in the State, 238 have already been computerized. Digitization of cadastral maps is now being initiated. Specifically, a pilot project has been started in Hooghly district for digitization of cadastral maps. Further, a Land Acquisition Information System has been recently developed to ensure speedy disposal of land acquisition cases. It generates various reports relating to notification, declaration, land schedule, estimate preparation etc. speedily and efficiently. The system has been on trial in land acquisition cases for the New Township Project at Rajarhat.

Telemedicine: Midnapore

Telemedicine is a client friendly high tech system used for critical patients. Purulia district hospital is linked with the medical colleges like NRS, Medical College and Burdwan Medical College. Patient's history is sent to the higher centers through the internet facility and the prescriptions are sent to the sending hospital through. If required, patients and medical officers of the sending hospital may consult with the specialists of the medical colleges through video conferencing facility and Internet.

Smart Card

Webel enabled West Bengal is all set to become the first state among all to implement the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Govt of India has given direction for standardization of transport applications in the entire country by way of 'Smart Card' based Driving License & Registering Certificate using 'Sarathi' and 'Vahan' thus bringing uniformity in the system throughout the country.

Smart Card, a small electronic card, resembling a credit card in size and shape, contains an embedded microprocessor, "Smart" enough to hold its own data / information with possibility of reading/ writing information any number of times.

The Smart Card brings:

• Easy retrieval of information
• Self Tracking / Data / Transaction Flow with the carrier
• High security on improved Law enforcement
• Scalable and inter-operable system
• Easy to get the card updated on payment of Tax / Penalty, etc
• Complete Check on duplicity & Forgery
• Inter-operability throughout the country

Computerisation of Government Departments

Webel is in the process of implementing the Government of West Bengal's computerization programme for three common applications viz. Directing the movement of files, setting up of departmental personnel information systems and the monitoring of funds deployment in several Government Departments and Directorates. Sixteen departments viz. Finance, Labour, Transport, Panchayat & Rural Development, Land and Land Reforms, I & CA, Tourism, Forest, Youth Services, Municipal Affairs, Higher Education, Environment, Housing etc. have been identified for introducing the above applications.

GIS for Municipalities

A Geographical Information System (GIS) has been implemented in 10 Municipalities in the State. The spatial data survey and implementation of GIS for Pujali, Kurseong, Budge Budge, Kalimpong and Bidhan Nagar Municipalities have already been complete.

Public interfaces through Info kiosks/websites

The official website of the Government of West Bengal which provides detailed information on the Government initiatives and various other details to the citizens. Webel has also facilitated a number of websites of different government departments and public interface through Information Kiosks.

Higher Education Department

Database is now developed for the department which can be accessed through their website and kiosk with Touch Screen and IVR which is of immense help to students seeking admission in various streams in colleges.

Tourism Department

A website and Touch Screen Information kiosks for the Tourism Department have been developed which provides detailed information of tourist interest that is of great help to both the domestic as well as international visitors. Webel has also implemented a web-based application for WBTDC for easy reservation of Tourist Lodges and various tourist services.

Information & Cultural Affairs Department

A touch screen based Information kiosk has been implemented which offers public utility services to the citizens. An Information kiosk and Website are now implemented for Bidhan Nagar Municipality where provision for downloading of various application forms and other data relating to grievances etc. are available.

Geographical Information System

The job of implementing Geographical Information System (GIS) in 20 Municipalities in the State is now on. The spatial data survey and implementation of GIS for Pujali, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Bidhan Nagar Municipalities have already been completed.

Connectivity

Through the ISP service, a quality internet bandwidth is now available for common people as well as Corporate, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and many other organizations across the State at an affordable price. This service spreads across the rural areas bringing social & economic stability and opportunity, new channels for learning, better communication with Govt. and improvements in health & welfare. This can be seen as the first step to make the rural India the back office of urban India including tele-education, tele-medicine, e-Governance, entertainment as well as employment generation by way of high-speed access to information and web based communication. Kolkata Police Department has entrusted the Webel Technology Limited to computerise 45 Police Stations of Kolkata Police and 5 Divisional Offices and 30 other offices of Battalion and AC's with the aim to increase efficiency of their existing operations in the Thana offices & Battalion, more effective Crime Control, close liaison with Lalbazar Higher officials for improved control of Day-to-Day operation of the entire Police Force. Further it has been entrusted with development of Application Software for Police Personnel.

West Bengal State Wide Area Network (WBSWAN)

West Bengal State Wide Area Network is the backbone network for data, voice and video communication throughout the state of West Bengal and this Government Intranet, through which e-Governance activities of the Government of West Bengal are being undertaken, is based on IP (Internet Protocol) technology.

Salient features of WBSWAN:

• WBSWAN network provides connectivity of Data, Voice & Video Communication facilities from State Switching Centre at Kolkata up to all District Headquarters as well as some important cities on 2 Mbps (E-1 link) leased line of BSNL
• All Block Headquarters will be connected with their District Headquarters on 64 Kbps Leased line upgradeable to 22. Mbps bandwidth
• Selected Panchayats will be connected with their Block Headquarters during subsequent phases of expansion of WBSWAN
• State Capital as well as each District Headquarter has Video Conferencing, Multi conferencing facility through Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) at Kolkata
• Provision for horizontal expansion for connectivity at all levels

WBSWAN services & applications

• This intranet is aimed at providing seamless connectivity among Government departments / directorates as well as among the various offices of each department / directorate all over West Bengal
• Government Application Service Provider (ASP) project will be based on this network
• Improve the Government-Citizen and Government-Industry interface as well as efficient intra-Government information flow resulting in effective, efficient and transparent administration

Visit http://www.webel-india.com/wbswan.html for more information about WBSWAN.

IT Enabled Braille Education for the Blind Schools of West Bengal and Augmentation of Infrastructure

Under the Project "IT Enabled Braille Education for the Blind Schools of West Bengal and Augmentation of Infrastructure" Webel Mediatronics Limited is developing IT enabled Braille Education Infrastructure at 27 special schools and 2 libraries. The project is sponsored by DeitY, Ministry of Communications and IT, Govt. of India, Dept. of IT, Govt. of West Bengal and Dept. of Mass Education Extension, Govt. of West Bengal.

Infrastructure Development

• By installing developed technology and internet connection at 70 blind institutes across the country Webel Mediatronics Limited is on the way to building up a nationwide networked infrastructure of IT enabled Braille education for visually impaired.
• These institutes will impart Braille education and offer Braille reading material to a maximum number of visually impaired persons in and outside the facility of the school.
• Visually impaired persons studying at integrated schools and colleges may get Braille study material from these centres in printed form or can access the electronic libraries of the centres.
• These centres while generating resource of their own, will access, share and exchange resource with others through Internet and thus, a nationwide commonly accessible pool of Braille resource will be generated.

Visit http://www.webelmediatronics.in/brlads/ for more information IT Enabled Braille Education.

Source

• http://Meity.gov.in/content/national-e-governance-plan

• www.india.gov.in
• http://www.nic.in/

Related Resources

• http://informatics.nic.in/