Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that efforts were afoot to fully digitize the Education Department by 31 August this year.

He emphasized on the importance of implementing e-governance initiatives at all the government departments in order to expedite the online file work and to ensure efficiency.

While presiding over the review meeting of the Department of Digital Technology and Governance here on Wednesday, he asked all the Secretaries Heads of Departments, the Deputy Commissioners and Sub Divisional Magistrates to adopt e-office system and take advantage of the technological advancements to adopt e-mail communication and discouraging the present practice of sending physical communications whether external or internal.

“Currently 50 per cent branches of Himachal Pradesh Secretariat and 24 directorates were using e-office,” he said.

He said that the employees and patients’ data of IGMC Shimla and Tanda Medical College should be made 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 doorsteps,” said Sukhu.

With the help of artificial intelligence, the state government would have the facility of better data analysis for decision-making, he said.

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 e-district project 184 citizen services of 34 departments were being provided at present. Apart from this, 71 services were 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.

GIS mapping of schools and health institutions of Shimla district would be done on pilot basis, he added.

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, as drone has is being employed in agriculture, horticulture and health sectors on pilot basis and results are encouraging.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the Mukhya Mantri Sewa Sanklap Helpline 1100 and stressed the need for a centralized call centre.