News

Kiosks in India will let citizens conduct business

June 19, 2003

MUMBAI, India -- Imagine paying your civic taxes, telephone and electricity bills, income tax and booking railway tickets, all under a single roof. I-Setu, the Maharashtra government's e-governance initiative, will enable you to do just that.

It envisages setting up 500 I-Setu kiosks at different places in Mumbai with private participation, according to an article in The Economic Times.

In Phase I, beginning January `04, the city will have 50 kiosks, providing 40 different state and central government-related services, said Mukesh Khullar, state information technology secretary.

"There's a tremendous scope for this type of venture. In any given month, the city records around 30 lakh transactions. This is the way to save the consumer's time," he said.

The project will be implemented with the help of the private sector on a build, operate and transfer basis. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. The set-up will be run by an independent body, the article said. The story did not mention kiosk vendors involved in the project.

"A citizen can go to a kiosk which will be manned by a private operator, pay a nominal charge of Rs 5 per transaction and get the work done. The operations will range from a telephone connection to a government certificate. The I-Setu kiosks will serve all your needs," Khullar said.

The transaction will be conducted in front of the customer and a receipt given to him immediately. The operator will then record the transaction. In the initial stage, the kiosks will offer services of BMC, Food and Drugs Administration, Maharashtra State Electricity Board, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and state government departments.

The kiosks will have two versions, fixed and mobile. One main centre will be positioned at the Mantralaya, Mr Khullar said. The remaining will be stationed at different places across the city, the article said.