E-seva to be free

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 27. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has asked banks to speed up computerisation and modernisation of their operations to help extend e-governance to cover all services and places across the State.

He felt that the banks should catch up with latest practices worldwide and make or accept payments through the Internet, e- mail, cell-phone etc. "You go for total computerisation and we will deposit our money with you," he told senior banking executives in a lighter vein.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was addressing the quarterly meeting of the State-level Bankers Committee (SLBC) at the Secretariat on Thursday to enlist bankers' involvement and cooperation in tackling the drought situation.

As part of bringing about greater transparency and curbing corruption in the administration, the Government was proposing to make payments to all its employees through cheques, as also disburse scholarships and other welfare benefits. He wanted banks to gear up to handle the additional accounts. (The scheme would be put in place the moment the banks were ready to handle it, he told reporters later).

Mr. Naidu announced that e-seva, offering a range of customer and utility services, would now be free of cost. Currently, Rs 5 was being collected for each service such as payment of property tax, registration, electricity bill. In addition to 10 existing e-seva centres in the twin cities, nine more would be set up shortly. He wanted the existing payment counters in various departments to convert to e-seva mode.

He urged the banks to come forward in a big way to assist self- employment ventures. The handlooms and textiles sector offered scope for 30,000 jobs. The apparel park at Gundlapochampally in Ranga Reddy district was a big hit and 10 more apparel parks would be set up at Kuppam, Nagari, Medak, Bhongir and other places.

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Section  : Southern States
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