Mumbai:Maharashtra will soon introduce an e-cabinet system to reduce paper use. The ministers will be provided smart tablets which will provide access to a user friendly dashboard featuring relevant references, cabinet proposals and implementation of past decisions.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik made a presentation on the electronic-driven initiative after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The e-cabinet system aims to make government functioning more transparent and environmentally sustainable, said an official statement.
Citizens can also access cabinet decisions through a dedicated portal.Under the system, the use of paper in cabinet meetings will be cut down and smart tablets will replace traditional documentation. This information and communications technology-based solution will provide ministers with an easy-to-use dashboard to access relevant references, review action points, and monitor the implementation of decisions, a government official said.
The initiative is being adopted after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasised on the use of technology to accelerate administrative processes and ensure timely communication of cabinet decisions to citizens. In a statement, the chief minister’s office said, “Under the system, the use of paper in cabinet meetings will be cut down and smart tablets will replace traditional documentation. The fully digital system will streamline the process of presenting proposals online, discussing them during cabinet meetings, recording final decisions, and maintaining related documentation.”
The cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Fadnavis also approved the publication of the revised Maharashtra Government Rules of Procedure in cabinet meetings, which will make administrative work easier and faster. The first such Rules of Procedure were prepared in 1975. After that, this is the third time such revised Rules of Procedure have been prepared.
After the governor's approval, the revised rules will be published in the official gazette. “The changes in the Rules of Procedure will help in making the administration of the government more transparent, dynamic and people-oriented and it will benefit the people of the state,” said the CM.
According to the official government statement, a study group of departmental secretaries recommended these revisions based on a comparative study of the rules of the Government of India and other states.
