Government of Goa’s ‘Gramin Mitra’ initiative for doorstep delivery of all government services, was launched under the aegis of Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communication, at the Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan on Monday.
Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Minister for IT, E&C, Printing & Stationary, and Tourism – Rohan Khaunte, Union MoS for Tourism Shripad Naik and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade graced the occasion. Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, MD & CEO, CSC eGovernance Services Ltd; Suneel Anchipaka, IAS, Director, Information & Technology, Electronics & Communication; Praveen Volvotkar, MD, ITG and Sanjay Goel, Secretary Tourism and IT, were also present. The occasion witnessed the signing of an MoU by Sanjay Kumar Rakesh and Suneel Anchipaka.
Gramin Mitra endeavours to foster rural digital empowerment and drive inclusive growth. Through strategic partnerships and initiatives, the programme aims to provide access to technology, digital literacy, and e-governance services to rural communities across the state thereby accelerating the overall socio-economic development, in keeping with the Government of India’s vision of the Digital India campaign.
Speaking at the launch event, the the Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant said, “The launch of the Gramin Mitra initiative marks a significant step towards bridging the divide between rural and urban Goa.”
He also motivated the Gramin Mitras present on the occasion by telling them that this scheme presents them the “keys to Government offices”. “The offices are open for 8 hours but you can work 24×7 to deliver the services of facilitating the certificates to needy people across the State,” added Dr Sawant.
Minister for IT, E&C, Printing & Stationary, and Tourism, Rohan Khaunte added, “The Gramin Mitra initiative is an important step towards achieving a digital-first state, and we are committed to working closely with our partners to ensure its success. The programme will help us accelerate the delivery of e-governance services to rural areas across the state. The implementation of the Gramin Mitra project demonstrates the Government of Goa’s commitment to improving accessibility and convenience for its citizens.”
Khaunte highlighted the importance of technology as a tool to bring in transparency. He also explained the need of the Helpline 14471 driven scheme as the only way for people who are indoors and ignorant of online mode, but in need of Government services.
This innovative initiative allows individuals to request public services by simply calling the dedicated Call Centre Number, which operates from 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.
Once a resident makes a request through the Call Centre for a specific public service, a Gramin Mitra, will visit the resident’s home. The Gramin Mitra will assist the resident in applying for the desired service and collect any prescribed fees or physical documents if required. The Gramin Mitra will then proceed to deposit these documents with the respective departments and ultimately deliver the service or certificate to the resident’s doorstep.
To facilitate the efficient management of the Gramin Mitra project, the State Government will establish a call centre that will receive and record all calls, maintain logs, and provide other necessary support services as needed. Additionally, call centre executives, trained by the State Government under the supervision of DITE&C, will respond to the calls and provide assistance in explaining the service delivery mechanism.
State Government will also be responsible for the design and development of an Online Slot Booking Management System to facilitate the booking of service slots. Moreover, various stakeholders will implement a Customer Relationship Management system to ensure smooth operation of the project.
Recognising the importance of trained personnel, State Government, in coordination with the respective departments of DITE&C, will provide the necessary training and capacity building for the Gramin Mitra (Digital Cadets) who will be deployed through the Common Services Centres (CSCs). These diligent cadets will be equipped with the required IT gadgets to efficiently deliver services to applicants.
An Allocation of Work Committee, established by State Government, will oversee the geographical allocation of tasks among appointed Gramin Mitra in the districts of North Goa and South Goa and all the talukas. This allocation ensures optimal coverage and service delivery to every corner of the state.
In an effort to enhance the delivery of services at the grass root level under Goa Online through Common Service Centers (CSCs), The CSC project was initially launched in June 2018 with the aim of streamlining and improving the provision of services of the Revenue Department. Since then, the Government has expanded the project to include 170 plus state government services, which are now available across 8 CSCs of the Government of Goa.
This initiative will ensure that individuals residing in remote or rural areas can access essential government services conveniently without the need to travel long distances. With the introduction of the Gramin Mitra project, the Government of Goa reaffirms its commitment to improving service delivery and ensuring accessibility for all citizens. This initiative is a testament to the government’s dedication to a digital and inclusive governance system.
