Cementing new milestone towards accelerating pace of e-Governance in Punjab

Chandigarh: Synergizing the strength of Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab (MGSIPA) in imparting training to Civil Servants and that of National Institute of Smart Government (NISG) in leveraging e-Governance solutions to administrative processes, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed here today between the two institutions. The MOU facilitates the role NISG can play in the state’s digital transformation through sharing of infrastructure, hardware, specialized personnel and proprietary software in training of Civil Servants and Civil Executives of other organizations, in utilizing computer and internet-based technologies.

NISG is a not-for-profit company incorporated in 2002 (under Section 25 of the Companies Act) with Department of Information Technology, Government of India, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DAR&PG), Government of India, Government of Andhra Pradesh and NASSCOM being its initial promoters, while Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab is the apex, autonomous Training Institution of Punjab Government. NISG has implemented various projects such as MCA21 for Ministry of Company Affairs, Passport Seva of Ministry of External Affairs, the conceptualization and design of the UID project including Project Management Unit of UID under the National e-Governance Plan.

This signing of MoU is first of its kind initiative between MGSIPA & NISG and is sure to lead to similar joint frameworks for finding innovative solutions in a collaborative manner.

During signing of MoU, Shri KBS Sidhu, Special Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Government of Punjab and Director General, MGSIPA said the world today is depending on Information Technology for easier access to information and services. India's IT industry is playing a major role not only in India but all over the world's economic growth, he said.

The agreement will facilitate MGSIPA in knowledge sharing and capacity building on e-Government services across the State of Punjab as well as other states, through its think tank Centre for e-Governance.

Shri JRK Rao, IAS (Retd.), CEO, NISG expressed that NISG is very pleased to partner with an esteemed institution such as MGSIPA, and to have come this far in knowledge sharing with MGSIPA within such a short time.

While formalizing the entire developmental framework, structures & methodology, Mrs. Jaspreet Talwar, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Punjab and Director, MGSIPA said that this alliance would enable, as well as, position Punjab at the lead of citizen-centric participatory governance. She expressed that both parties have developed a strong working relationship under Shri KBS Sidhu’s visionary leadership and are keen to explore capacity building programmes in emerging areas like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Block Chain, Cyber Security & Cyber Crime etc.