Meghalaya government to soon roll out digital policy

Meghalaya government will soon roll out a digital policy to ensure mobile connectivity reaches the last man, a top official of the IT department said on Friday.

"Digital policy is in a draft stage. This will ensure maximum reach in as far as mobile connectivity is concerned," IT department Commissioner and Secretary D P Wahlang said. Wahlang said Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, has already given the department the mandate to finalise it where it will also include the mobile tower policy.

"A lot of noise is made regarding the health hazards posed by these towers. We are taking all that into consideration and we will finalise it very soon," he said. With the state government withholding the permission for the erection of mobile towers by IT companies, the policy will provide full clarity on where the erection of mobile tower share feasible and not feasible, he said.

Wahlang also said that the IT department has launched services for all the 11 districts on January 21, apart fromEast Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi where it is operational. "On January 21, soft launch has started, equipment has already been installed and digital signatures have already been made for ADMs and DCs who have to sign digitally," he said.

Wahlang said that in a period of another 6-7 months, e-services in all districts will stabilise. To ensure maximum reach of e-services, he said an additional 775 Common Service Centres (CSCs) will be set up across the state by March 2018 apart from the 225 which are operational at present.

Through these e-services which area available online and through the CSCs, the time taken to issue certificates such as SC/ST and income certificates will be done online. Till date, East Khasi Hills district has received over 20,000 e-applications while Ri-Bhoi issued three-certificates, Wahlang said.