Launching of m-Governance by Government of Jharkhand, Jharkhand State, India

The chief minister of Jharkhand, Raghubar Das has launched on November 15. 2015 mobile and web-based portals and apps to enable people track actual work done. This is a welcome step to introduce public accountability. The m-governance launch is a kick off of initiatives to digitally bridge the gap between his government and people, an Aadhaar-enabled midday meal monitoring and a system to track real-time implementation of initiatives announced by the chief minister among them. Aadhaar-based midday meal monitoring system is all about transparency, for the state. The state IT department is leveraging the nearly 100 per cent Aadhaar coverage in Jharkhand in the midday scheme. So, similar to Aadhaar attendance, after lunch, a child will punch the biometric machine to confirm he or she ate. A dashboard will alert parents, school authority and district administration if a child is absent for seven days. "In the last eight months, the focus of my government has been simple, accountability and reaching out to common masses through technology for better governance. Our Prime Minister is also highly IT focused, and it is the need of the hour,” Mr. Das said. The government would roll out a mobile SMS vans also for people who did not have access to Internet. The resident is required to send an SMS to a number about his needs and a mobile van will be at his doorstep to help him. The State IT secretary S.K. Burnwal pointed out Jhar-Sewa (serviceonline.jharkhand.gov.in) linked 48 services to existing six essential ones such as registration of births and deaths, the new ones including online access to pension schemes, electoral services, consumer courts, land records, among others. Citizens can track the actual action taken after the chief minister makes an announcement (related to infrastructure, grant and others) at the Assembly or elsewhere or issues a written order to any department on dedicated portals.