An e-Services app called Mobile Dost, 1,080 e-services, 11,000 common service centres, and 4G tower installation in 200 locations across the region — This is how Jammu and Kashmir has been emerging as a digitally empowered region despite internet shutdowns at regular intervals owing to security concerns.
The UT has topped the chart for running the maximum e-services for citizens. Post abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, J&K has been witnessing a 30-times rise in the number of e-services. Over the past three years, the UT administration has been able to take the number from 15 services in 2019 to 1,080 in 2023.
In the face of security concerns and internet connectivity related challenges, the government is now working on around 200 locations across the UT which will have 4G towers.
Prerna Puri, commissioner-secretary, IT, J&K, told News18: “The app was launched in August. All our e-services can be availed through the app. There are certain challenges related to internet connectivity in some remote areas. For that, the government is now running around 11,000 common service centres (CSC) across interior areas to enable locals to avail the e-services.”
Speaking to News 18, V Srinivas, Secretary of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), said: “Since 2019, to implement the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, DARPG has established a sustained engagement with the government of Jammu & Kashmir with focus on good governance and technology adoption.”
He added: “A number of successful collaborations like e-Office adoption, JK-IGRAMS, DGGI for J&K, Regional Conferences and National e-Governance conference were held in Jammu and Srinagar. The digital transformation of the government of J&K has been phenomenal — from 15 e-services in 2019 to 1,080 e-services in 2023. The engagement has been cordial and constructive.” The department is under the direct supervision of the prime minister.
End of colonial practices
Drawing an end to the colonial Darbar moves, or the bi-annual shift of the secretariat and other government offices from Srinagar to Jammu in winter and from Jammu to Srinagar in summer, the J&K administration has launched an app called Mobile Dost for locals living in remote and interior areas.
The e-services include all kinds of administrative services related to getting birth and death certificates, domicile certificates, income certificate, mutation, online registration on NGDRS, power bill payment, SC/ST certificate, pension under Integrated Social Security Scheme, job seeker’s registration, age certificate (Health Department), e-sahaj (patient OPD registration) and so on, added Puri, secretary (IT)
The Mobile Dost app and other services have a bilingual interface like all other national portal services.
From internet-poor to digitally rich
J&K has always seen a distinct divide between internet-poor and internet-rich zones owning to its internet connectivity issues, which were seen as a by-product of militancy in the area, said a senior officer serving in the UT.
“However, post abrogation, the Union government took this as a challenge and we all worked to deliver good governance to the citizens. So, currently, we have moved from an internet -poor zone to digitally rich area as we are running the highest number of online services for people here,” said the officer.
