Punjab to have unified single-number call centre for citizen grievance redressal by month-end

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20

Punjab is all set to have a unified state-wide single-number call centre to address all citizen-centric grievances by the end of the month, with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday directing that the process to standardise the redressal mechanism be expedited, with instructions for bringing all the 500 citizen services in the state online, through the Sewa Kendras, within this year.

He approved the recruitment of 503 personnel at various levels to give the necessary push for the process.

Chairing a virtual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Punjab State e-Governance Society (PSEGS), the Chief Minister also directed that for the convenience of citizens, Home Delivery of services and Tatkal services should also be launched from Sewa Kendras immediately. He ordered total computerisation and digitisation of the backend of the citizen-centric service mechanism to ensure effective and timely disbursal of services.

Currently, 329 services of various departments are being delivered from these Sewa Kendras to the citizens, with Saanj Kendras (Police) and Fard Kendras (Revenue) recently integrated into the system. These services shall also have computerized backend and digitised legacy records.

To help achieve these targets, the Chief Minister gave the go-ahead to the Department to hire 503 personnel at different levels, including a Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, and other IT skilled manpower across functions, including System Managers, Business Analysts, Network operators and IT assistant.

Taking note of the success of E-office in ensuring smooth functioning of government offices, with reduced physical contact, during the Covid pandemic, the Chief Minister also ordered adoption of the E-office by all offices of the State Government, including all Directorates, District and field offices, Boards, Corporations etc, by May 31. This would enable the state to move toward paperless government functioning with increased efficiency and minimal human intervention, said an official spokesperson after the meeting.