Govt launches online info guide and localisation portal for e-governance

The government has launched an online search engine called Vikaspedia with a focus on domains relevant to social and economic development. According to an official statement, the portal will serve as a collaborative content creation, sharing and utilisation platform for NGOs, government, community-based organisations, knowledge networks and CSRs across the country. Information services related to key livelihood sectors, including agriculture, education, health, social welfare, energy and e-governance are currently available in the portal, which is also available on mobile phones.

The portal is currently available in Hindi, Assamese, Marathi, Telugu and English, and will be launched in 17 more official languages in a phased manner. The government hopes that the portal will act as an effective mechanism to strengthen the first level service providers to discharge services more effectively and educate end-users on various issues related to livelihoods.

The government has also rolled out a new localisation portal with an aim to disseminate information and provide basic localisation tools and services to the citizens in their respective regional languages. It comprises 31 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs), which are further classified as state, central or integrated projects. Each MMP has several web-based applications that are meant to directly or indirectly deliver information and/or services to the citizens.

(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)