Implementation of eOffice
in
Collectorate, North 24 Parganas
West Bengal
Presented by: Randhir Kumar, IAS
on 4/4/2014
in collaboration with
National Informatics Centre
….. ……. …… an approach towards egovernance initiatives
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 & accountability
Manual system vulnerable to corrupt practices
Delay in the decision making process due to multiple
levels of physical file movement
No automated system for tracking papers/Files/Cases
Loss of Papers/files
Difficulty in Record Management
Limited information sharing
Inaccessibility of Files during absence of an
Officer/Staff
No means to measure citizen service delivery
02-04-2012
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Genesis of the Project
District Administration was seeking an electronic solution to
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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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eOffice suite of NIC, was best suited
for the Collectorate
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
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5
eOffice at a glance
. . . platform for efficient, effective and transparent inter and intra departmental transactions and processes.
Unified File
Management
System (eFile)
Knowledge
Management
System (KMS)
Collaboration and
Messaging Services
(CAMS)
* Personnel
Information
and Management
System (PIMS)
* Leave Automation
System (eLeave)
* Tour Automation
System (eTour)
*Under Implementation
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eFile Features
• 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 Process
eFile Process
First receiver
Scans
Scan directly to
eOffice
application
Enter Meta
Data
System Creates sequential Diary
Number for each receipt
Send e Receipt to Section, in
case of CRU as first receiver
Store in
Hard Drive
Create a new efile
Browse &
upload
Attach to current efile
Enter Meta Data
System Creates a efile
Number
e-file moves through the
Channel of Submission on
the system
Digital Sign and send
efile to next user
Open efile and start Noting, create draft/edit
draft/approve draft/issue draft, referencing
to drafts & correspondence sections within
e-file
eFile Dashboard
Knowledge Management System
…………… centralized knowledge bank for information sharing, retrieving and archiving
Implementation Approach
 Composition of a Project Management team
 Carrying out Administrative Reforms and Innovations
 Establishing ICT infrastructure
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Administrative Reforms & Innovations
• 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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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.
Setting up of Network-Cum-Data Centre [NDC-N24P] in the Collectorate
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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
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206 Thin clients and Desktops for users
4 High level Scanners
25 Middle level Scanners
20 Small Scanners
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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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Objectives fulfilled
•
Every document which enters the departments gets accounted for
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eOffice has infused transparency in all transactions
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Delay caused by the physical carrying of files from one desk to another got eliminated
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Paper processing time has gone down by 2-3 days per file
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Decision making is not getting delayed due to the absence of any officer
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Sections have become cleaner and free from bulky physical files
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Management Information System for monitoring
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Efficient citizen service delivery by sections such as MGNREGA, SSM, etc.
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Responding to RTI queries became very easy as information retrieval became faster
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Data Security: Zero loss of papers and files post the implementation of project
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Dynamic Inventory of all documents and Files in the electronic system
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Officers are no longer carrying files back home to complete pending work
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Flexi work timings as now files are available in electronic space 24*7
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Sustainability of the Project
• Technology and Security measures
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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
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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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Project Cost
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Replication of Best Practices
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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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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
Outcome & Impact after implementation of eOffice
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Working Environment
Was Dusty and Files littered everywhere
Clean and Hygienic environment
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
ADMINISTRATION SECTION
VS
Forms
CENTRAL
REPOSITORY
SECURITY
WORKFLOW
SEARCH
Rules
LESS EFFICIENT
MULTIPLE COPIES
STORAGE SPACE
INCREASED COSTS
MANUAL SEARCH
MORE TIME
ONLINE ACCESS
QUICK SEARCH
SMS/EMAIL ALERTS
CENTRAL REPOSITORY
ARCHIVAL
DISTRIBUTION
VERSION CONTROL
DISASTER RECOVERY
WORKFLOW
SECURITY
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