Pradeep Padgaonkar
The government plans various ideas and brings them into practice with big pomp and ceremony. This is done with the intention to give the public a hassle-free working environment. One of such is Digital India.
Digital India is a vision to create a new India where all citizens have access to the benefits of digital technology. This includes access to education, healthcare, financial services, and government services. It also includes the ability to participate in the digital economy and to create new opportunities for oneself.
By digitizing government processes and services, the initiative intends to streamline administrative procedures, reduce paperwork, and promote transparency.
Citizens will have the convenience of accessing various government services online, eliminating the need for lengthy bureaucratic procedures. This transformation not only enhances the citizen experience but also contributes to efficient and accountable governance.
Digital financial inclusion is another critical vision of Digital India. By promoting digital payment systems and enhancing access to financial services, the initiative seeks to bring the unbanked and underbanked population into the formal financial sector. This not only empowers individuals economically but also contributes to the growth of a cashless economy and reduces the dependence on physical currency.
But practically, in many places and different offices in Goa, the situation is contradictory to the thought of Digital India. Whenever you approach any work in the government department, banks etc you should be prepared to hear excuses. Firstly, you will be informed that they have a ‘Server Problem’. If that is not enough, they will say there is ‘No Network’. Finally, it will be a case of ‘No Electricity’.
Vision documents are prepared, they look nice on paper but to put it into real functioning is a real problem. The absence of basic infrastructure spoils the show. Even in the ration shop, people have to wait for hours sometimes due to poor connectivity.
The ‘Goaonline’ service website of the state Government provides various online services for the citizens. If you apply for some service you don’t get a reply for months. If you check the status you will find that application is received and is under process. This status continues for days together, and there is no change in the information provided earlier.
Cyber frauds are common; people are losing money in various types of investments and scams. We do not get to know the success rate of the cybercrime department in cracking such complaints.
The online Generic Documents Registration System currently used for registering sale deeds at various sub-registrar offices in the state has done little to end the inconvenience caused to applicants. In fact, applicants complain that they are being made to pay for appointments at Panaji and Margao and have to wait for nearly a month to get copies of sale deeds. The problem is acute at Mapusa, Panaji, and Margao where property transactions are the highest in the state. The user experience with the new system is painful. Applicants who are waiting for a copy of their sale deed lament spending so much money on a digital system in which there is no benefit for the common person.
The department admits that the staff is struggling to keep up with the number of daily requests for the registration of documents. There is a limit to registering sale deeds considering that departmental staff has to scan thousands of pages per day. The State Registrar is helpless. The online system is not working properly. Even the mutation is not happening the way the department said it would work. The feeling of harassment is growing in the public.
Less said about the ATMs is better. People walk from their residence to the closest booth only to find that the machine is not functional or there is a shortage of cash.
A review of ATM operations of banks with large ATM networks was recently conducted by the RBI. The review mainly aimed at identifying major complaint-prone operational areas and steps to overcome these. A review was held based on a rising trend in ATM complaints. Banks have initiated important measures to ensure that breakdowns are kept to a minimum.
Customer education and awareness is one of the important tools to ensure secure electronic banking. However, each one should control their greed for easy money. There are many who lure online with attractive financial returns only to dupe one who believes in them. The government tells you to be digital, not follow the scamsters and frauds. Beware!
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