Implementation of eOfficein

Collectorate, North 24 Parganas West Bengal

Presented by: Randhir Kumar, IASon 4/4/2014 in collaboration with

National Informatics Centre ….. ……. …… an approach towards egovernance initiatives

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Understanding the Collectorate functioning

Background

Citizen Service delivery in the era of information and communication technology is becoming very demanding. With enactment of Right to Information Act in year, 2005, gone are the day of secrecy unaccountability. RTI Act, 2005 envisages digitization and indexing of the official records within 120 days of the enactment of the Act. 5 years had already passed after the implementation of the Act and the status of data was in very and shabby condition. It was becoming difficult on the part of district administration in protecting the rights of the citizens as far as the information was concerned.

Additionally, the methodology of providing services to the citizen was still based on old Totenham system and on the Practice and Procedure described in Bengal Secretariat Manual and Practice and Procedure Manual 1964. The system of physical files was leading to several complications in the citizen service delivery.

Paper & File processing statistics

As a citizen service provider, there is a huge influx of papers from various sources, approx. 100000 in a year. On an average 1000 new files get created in a financial year Each active file runs for approx. 5 years before going to the record room

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Challenges faced in the Collectorate before advent of eOffice

Lack of transparency & accountabilityManual system vulnerable to corrupt practices Delay in the decision making process due to multiple

levels of physical file movementNo automated system for tracking papers/Files/CasesLoss of Papers/filesDifficulty in Record ManagementLimited information sharingInaccessibility of Files during absence of an

Officer/Staff No means to measure citizen service delivery

District Administration was seeking an electronic solution to

Digitize legacy files. Process files electronically Track & Monitor DAK Accelerate Decision Making process Establish a Central repository of common documents Provide efficient citizen service delivery Engage, empower and measure human resources Streamline the Non-Plan expenditure (space, consumables

& non-consumables)

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Genesis of the Project

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Based on the Central Secretariat Manual of eOffice procedures of DAR&PG

Strategic control of the application and data as per the NeGP guidelines

Role Based Access Mechanism Electronic File Processing System Central Repository of Documents with Managed Access Single Employee Directory Management Information System

eOffice suite of NIC, was best suited for the Collectorate

eOffice at a glance . . . platform for efficient, effective and transparent inter and intra departmental transactions and processes.

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Unified File Management System (eFile)

Knowledge Management System (KMS)

Collaboration and Messaging Services (CAMS)

* Personnel Information and Management System (PIMS)

* Leave Automation System (eLeave)

*Under Implementation

* Tour AutomationSystem (eTour)

• Prominent features

Dashboard view with alerts for different categories of Files and Receipts lying with self and subordinates.

Email Diarisation Generation of Acknowledgement for received letters Follow up – Setting reminders on files and receipts Powerful Global Search on metadata and content Added security with Digital Signatures Email and SMS alerts on important files Instant Messaging for notifications

eFile Features

eFile Process

First receiver Scans

Store in Hard Drive

Scan directly to eOffice

application

Browse & upload

Enter Meta Data

System Creates sequential Diary Number for each receipt

Create a new efile Attach to current efile

Send e Receipt to Section, in case of CRU as first receiver

Open efile and start Noting, create draft/edit draft/approve draft/issue draft, referencing to drafts & correspondence sections within

e-file

Digital Sign and send efile to next user

System Creates a efile Number

Enter Meta Data

e-file moves through the Channel of Submission on

the system

eFile Process

eFile Dashboard

Knowledge Management System …………… centralized knowledge bank for information sharing, retrieving and archiving

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Implementation Approach Composition of a Project Management team

Carrying out Administrative Reforms and Innovations

Establishing ICT infrastructure

• Government Process Re-engineering– Revising the extant systems and reengineering the existing processes to increase

efficiency and cut down delays and superfluous steps• Extensive interaction and communication to buy-in support from stakeholders

– Conducting workshops and brainstorming session with the staff – Regular interaction to develop a sense of ownership among the employees

• Setting up a Central Digitization and Migration Centre– Scanning of all active physical files and old records– File Migration

• Setting up a Training & Handholding Centre for eOffice• Establishing a Knowledge Repository of documents

– All documents organized in a structured directory – Role based access given to employees for information sharing and retrieval

• Publishing Notices & Circulars through portal• Specially designed capacity building programme for all the eOffice users

– The training was designed with elective modules to cater to employees with varied skill sets.

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Administrative Reforms & Innovations

Setting up of Network-Cum-Data Centre [NDC-N24P] in the Collectorate

4 High End servers SAN Storage Backup through LTO Remote backup (NDC and WBNIC-DC) Disaster Recovery

Network Campus wide LAN

Integrated Network Backbone – North 24 Parganas (INB-N24P), 1000 nodes in 20 buildings spread in an area of 2.1 sq. km

WAN [NICNET & Internet Gateway] Primary [BSNL 34 Mbps MLLN] Secondary Failover [Railtel 34 Mbps MLLN]

Hardware 206 Thin clients and Desktops for users 4 High level Scanners 25 Middle level Scanners 20 Small Scanners 14

Establishing ICT Infrastructure for eOffice Implementation

The success and efficiency of an e-Governance project depends critically on the quality and extent of the network and its availability in an organization.

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Implementation Plan

Phases Phase Name Activities

Phase 0 Base work for Implementation Data Collection DSC Creation & Configuration Installation and Configuration of Servers & Application

Phase 1 Pre- Implementation Planning Preparation of Roadmap for Implementation Study of the working style Study of File Naming Convention Finalization of folder structure for KMS Standardization of File Naming Infrastructure Gap Analysis Procurement of Hardware

Phase 2 Capacity Building Training Design Training and Assessment

Phase 3 Transition Government Process Re-engineering Migration of existing data

Phase 4 Going LIVE eOffice is fully functional Support extended by the team at Collectorate

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Benefits of Innovation• Cost Savings

• Resource Savings

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Benefits of Innovation• Cost Savings

• Resource Savings

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Benefits of Innovation Increased Efficiency

Faster file processing

Central Document Repository

Enhanced Monitoring and Evaluation

Systematic Management through Institutions

Robust ICT Backbone

Improved office environment

•

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• Every document which enters the departments gets accounted for

• eOffice has infused transparency in all transactions

• Delay caused by the physical carrying of files from one desk to another got eliminated

• Paper processing time has gone down by 2-3 days per file

• Decision making is not getting delayed due to the absence of any officer

• Sections have become cleaner and free from bulky physical files

• Management Information System for monitoring

• Efficient citizen service delivery by sections such as MGNREGA, SSM, etc.

• Responding to RTI queries became very easy as information retrieval became faster

• Data Security: Zero loss of papers and files post the implementation of project

• Dynamic Inventory of all documents and Files in the electronic system

• Officers are no longer carrying files back home to complete pending work

• Flexi work timings as now files are available in electronic space 24*7

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Objectives fulfilled

• Technology and Security measures

– Based on Open Source Technology– No license fee involved– System is enabled over https – User Authentication through Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) – Digital Signatures used for Authentication and Signing– Built in encryption mechanism to ensure data security

• Training and Support Model

– Fully ICT equipped Training Centre– Dedicated eOffice Helpdesk at 233 (033-25846233)– Regular capability building programmes by experienced resources– Dedicated support from NIC

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Sustainability of the Project

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Project Cost

• Innovative project management process • Quick Deployment to any other organization with minimum data customization• Simplified processes and generic SOPs easy for adoption by other agencies• Innovative use of technology to bring reforms in Administration and Bureaucracy • Customized and elective Employee Capacity Building Program• One of its kind of projects which acts as a epicenter for internal organizational

reforms• Model successfully adopted by Collectorate, South 24 Parganas and District

Sindhudurg, Jalna, Nandurbar, Maharashtra

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Replication of Best Practices

Dashboard : Monitoring Pendency

Receipt Diarisation: Scanning, uploading & metadata entry of Inward Letter

Receipt Forwarding

Receipt Sent items: Tracking Sent receipts

File Creation: Creation of new eFiles

Receipt Attachment : Attachment of Inward letters now termed as Receipts to the relevant files

File Work Area : Noting, Correspondence, Draft, References, Linked files, Movements, Details, Digital Signatures, Sending, Closing etc.

File Forwarding

File Sent items : List of forwarded files for easy tracking

File Movement History

Search : Quick and Easy retrieval of Receipts, Files and Dispatched letters

Search : Quick & Easy retrieval of Receipts, Files & Dispatched letters

MIS Reports

Central Repository : Organized storage of documents in KMS

Knowledge Repository : List of recently shared documents

SL.No.

Key Performance Indicators

Before Implementation After Implementation

01 Time taken in DAK to reach the section after receiving

A minimum of 3 days Same day (By the Evening)

02 Time taken in putting the DAK to concerned file

At least one Hour Within a Minute

03 Searching of Paper/File Need to go to every section where it has been sent for status checking

From System can be seen online

04 Dependency Person Dependent Person Independent

05 Loss of Paper/File Very Frequent Does not happen, as it is stored digitally

06 RTI Compliance Was Difficult Information is being provided within days of application

07 Supervision & Monitoring Was very cumbersome and person dependent Online MIS can be generated and work pendency at each level can be ascertained immediately

08 Knowledge Management Used to be done in the form of Guard File, which was property of that particular department

Is being done in the form of KMS which is an organization wide knowledge Sharing System

09 Beneficiary Feedback Earlier, when the beneficiary used to come for checking the status of the file, either paper used to be lost or file used to be unavailable at that date. And, beneficiary used to go unsatisfied

Now, once entered into the system, no paper or file can be lost. Again, beneficiary can be given feedback by anyone and on urgent matter it can be disposed by higher officials even when lower level employees are on leave or sitting on the file

10 Round the Clock Office By the Office time Now, it is available 24x7 on 365 days. In future, one can go for Flexi Office or Mobile Office

11 Process Simplification Was Cumbersome Process Re-engineering was done and all unnecessary slack has been removed and only critical activity remains the part of the system

12 Working Environment Was Dusty and Files littered everywhere Clean and Hygienic environment

Outcome & Impact after implementation of eOffice

The electronic file enables a comprehensive e-governance approach and this means the benefits envisaged are:

Simplification & acceleration of processes, Uniform documentation of files and thus a better traceability, modernization of

archiving, More flexible and efficient internal organization, Simplification of internal reorganizations, Comprehensive e-government approach, Simplified co-operation and exchange between department/sections due to

uniform standards, Knowledge base for one-stop government in the future

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Before eOffice vs After eOffice

ONLINE ACCESS QUICK SEARCH DISASTER RECOVERY

SMS/EMAIL ALERTS CENTRAL REPOSITORY WORKFLOW

ARCHIVAL DISTRIBUTION SECURITY

VERSION CONTROL

WORKFLOW SECURITY

SEARCH

CENTRAL REPOSITORY

ADMINISTRATION SECTION Forms

Rules

VS

LESS EFFICIENT MULTIPLE COPIES MORE TIME

STORAGE SPACE INCREASED COSTS

MANUAL SEARCH

Lessons Learnt from the achievement Project Leader Successful projects require an empowered leader with a dedicated team who can

conceptualize and implement e-Governance projects with the help of officials at all levels and technological solution providers

Holistic Approach Being a complex eGovernance project having various critical components a holistic approach is needed during implementation. Adequate time and resources need to be devoted in conceptualization, implementation and maintenance of the project.

ePreparedness ePreparedness of the organization must be kept in mind while planning for the project and fixing time frames.

Participation Active involvement of staff and capacity building is necessary for success of the project. Changing the mindset of the government employee who are use to work only in the manual mode. This is a big task and needs patience and careful planning. Workshops, seminars and training programmes are required to be organized to spread awareness among the employees at all levels. Government servants need to be motivated to adapt and work in ICT environment.

ICT Infrastructure There should be end to end computerization.

Sharing of Leason Important lessons can be drawn from the experience of other organization in similar projects.

Security & Privacy Two major concerns in the IT implementation should be addressed on urgent basis - the security and privacy.

Confidence Steps must be initiated to generate confidence among the individuals and organization.

Thank You