e-governance to strengthen development process
Says AK Khandakar
Planning Minister Air Vice Marshal (Retd) AK Khandaker yesterday underscored the need for implementing e-governance in strengthening planning, monitoring and evaluation of government's development activities by empowering field level administration in policy decisions.
“e-governance would not only set up a bridge between different ministries by sharing information and data among themselves but also ensure transparency in government activities,” he said.
He said this while inaugurating a dialogue titled “Strategic priorities of Digital Bangladesh: Issue-based National Dialogue” as the chief guest.
UNDP's Access to Information (A2I) programme at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and General Economic Division (GED) of Planning Division of Planning Commission jointly organised the function at NEC conference room in the city.
State Minister for Science and Information Communication Technology Architect Yeafesh Osman and UNDP's Country Director Stefan Priesner spoke as the special guests.
Planning Secretary Md Habib Ullah Majumder chaired the function. Secretary for Science and Information Communication Technology Md Abdur Rob Hawlader delivered welcome address while Private Secretary to PMO Md Nazrul Islam Khan highlighted strategic priorities of the project.
Khandaker said it is possible to ensure services to the people through “One-Stop-Service Centre” and Help Desk” by utilisation of Information Communication Technology (ICT).
“e-service would not only raise skill of service for reaching assistance to the doorsteps of the deprived people, it would also ensure accountability of government and private sector service providers side by side reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks,” he said.
Ruling out the fear of job cuts due to utilisation of technology, he said through automation it would be possible to create a competent workforce in the country by turning them into human resources.
A2I initiated “Digital Bangladesh Strategy Paper” in December last year on request from Science and ICT ministry for implementing government's Vision 2021, he added.
Yeafesh said people have started getting benefits of digitisation as online money transfer, registration, publication of results of public examinations through mobiles have already started in the country.
The government has been able to create a field for digitisation during last 18 months, he said, adding that digitisation is not visible to the people.
Underlining development of human resources for ICT utilisation, he said, “We have to create ICT educated human resources, otherwise, only introducing new technologies would be of no use.”
Mentioning that the government has opened its avenue to the common people for ensuring their access to information through developing websites, he said through this system we want to go to people.
UNDP's Country Director Stefan Priesner underscored the need for bringing reforms in public service commission for ensuring better utilisation of human resources.
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