category Regional, shimla, , tags Regional, shimla, , DW BUREAU Shimla Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while presiding over the review meeting of the Department of Digital Technology and Governance on Wednesday, emphasized the importance of implementing e-governance initiatives in all the government departments in order to expedite online file work and ensure efficiency. He asked all the Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Deputy Commissioners and Sub Divisional Magistrates to adopt e-office system and take advantage of the technological advancements to adopt e-mail communication and discourage the present practice of sending physical communications, whether external or internal. Currently 50 percent of the branches of H.P. Secretariat and 24 directorates were using e-office. He stressed the need to make the Department of Education fully digitized by 31st August this year. He said that the employees and patients data of IGMC Shimla and Tanda Medical College should be put online in a time bound manner with the assistance of the Department of Digital Technology and Governance. Embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies is the need of the hour to provide citizen-centric services to the people of the state on their door steps said Sukhu, adding that with the help of artificial intelligence, the State Government would have the improved facility of data analysis for decision making. He said that AI would be promoted in Himachal Online Sewa, CM Helpline and in education to provide better career opportunities to the youth. Under the e-district project, 184 citizen services of 34 departments are being provided at present. Apart from this, 71 services are also being provided to the people through Lok Mitra Kendras in the state. He also underlined the importance of strengthening the Lok Mitra Kendras. He said that GIS mapping of schools and health institutions of Shimla district would be done on pilot basis. He further directed to implement AADHAR seeding for all the domestic and commercial electricity connections in Chamba district. Reviewing the progress of HIM PARIVAR he said that the data of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes of the Government would be available on this platform. The State Government was preparing a drone policy in order to regulate the operations of drones in various fields, said Sukhu. Drone has been employed in agriculture, horticulture and health sectors on pilot basis and results are encouraging, he added. The Chief Minister also reviewed the Mukhya Mantri Sewa Sanklap Helpline 1100 and stressed the need for a centralized call centre. (editor dailyworld.in)