What is Digital Town?

A Digital Town is one in which citizens can avail information and services from the government easily and efficiently through the Internet without having to physically visit government offices. The objective of a Digital Town is to establish an IT-centric knowledge-based society at local level where citizens are able to satisfy their day-to-day needs and requirements with efficiency and hence improve overall quality of life. In other words, all government and non-government services are to be made accessible to the common citizen in his/ her locality at affordable cost through a one-stop service ensuring efficiency, transparency and reliability through good governance and reduction in corruption.

How Can Citizens Benefit from Digital Town?

The citizens can benefit from Digital Town through several means such as:

1. online access to information
2. 24/7 access to services online 365 days a year
3. no waiting in queue

How Can the Government Benefit from Digital Town?

The government can benefit from Digital Town through several means such as:

1. more efficiency
2. more transparency
3. enhanced accountability
4. more efficient report generation for decision-making purposes
5. reduced cost of service delivery
6. greater investment in the town

Scope of Work:

The services may be divided into two phases. In the first phase, the following services may be made available:

City Information Services

1. About the Division and City
1. History
2. Photo gallery of important places
3. Road network of Division
4. Railway network of Division
2. About the government offices in City
1. Address, contact information
2. Past development projects
1. Cost, Implementation Period, Location etc.
3. On-going development projects
1. Cost, Implementation Period, Location etc.
4. Government owned tea-estates
3. About the activities of the City Corporation
4. Public announcements and news from the City Corporation and other government offices
5. Online complaints and grievances

Educational Facilities

1. Formal educational organizations (pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary education etc.)
1. Admissions requirements
2. Admissions forms
3. Procedures and relevant dates
2. Non-formal educational organizations (continuing education, health education, distance education, literacy program, language education etc.)
1. Admissions requirements
2. Admissions forms
3. Procedures and relevant dates
3. Educational resource centers such as libraries
1. Operating hours
2. Membership facilities and procedures

Health-care Facilities

1. Health care practitioners searchable according to disease type
2. Different kind of health services and organizations (clinics, hospital, Nursing, pharmacies etc.)
3. Health hazards and tips for preventive measures

Transportation Facilities

1. Transportation services related to bus, train, launch, trawler, airline etc.
1. Location of stations
2. Time schedules

Legal Services

1. Law and justice centers
2. Legal advisers and legal service providers

Business Directory

1. directory of all commercial entities in City searchable according to product or service

Business Support Services

1. Legal advice services
2. Accounting and internal auditing support services
3. Repair services such as workshops
4. Internet services

e-Commerce Facilities

1. Commercial sellers may post information about commodities they are willing to sell
2. Commercial buyers may post information about commodities they are willing to buy
3. Products made by local community members such as housewives, farmers, local handicrafts groups etc.
4. Real Estate Exchange mainly targeted for expatriates

Banking Facilities

1. Public and private banks
1. Locations
2. Operating hours
2. Micro-credit facilities
3. Agricultural loan facilities
4. Housing loan facilities

Accommodation Facilities

1. Hotels and motels searchable according to location, number of stars etc.
1. Locations
2. Facilities
2. Rest-houses searchable according to location
1. Locations
2. Facilities

Shopping Facilities

1. Shopping facilities searchable according to commodity types

Tourism Facilities

1. Tourist spots
2. Tour operators
1. Location and contact information
2. Operating hours
3. Rental services – car, bus etc.

Community Activity Facilities

1. Community arts, events, galleries, museum, studios, cinema halls, theaters etc.
1. Operating hours
2. Locations
3. Show times of different programs updated daily
2. Picnic spots, playground, ponds, clubs, parks, mosque & church, public toilets, exercise area etc.
1. Operating hours
2. Locations
3. Cyber-cafes and public Internet access points
4. Rental services – car, bus etc.

Emergency Services

1. Fire services
2. Ambulance services
3. Police
4. Sexual assault support services
5. Acid violence support services

Training Facilities

1. Government and non-government training centers can periodically post their training schedules and requirements etc.
2. Potential trainees can easily find relevant training programs

Employment Facilities

1. Potential employers may post requirements online
2. Potential employees may post CVs and search for job prospects

Downloadable Online Forms

1. Online forms offered by the government

In the second phase, the following services may be made available:

Electronic Birth Registration

1. registration of birth through electronic system and getting a Birth ID no

Electronic Death Registration

1. registration of death through electronic system and getting a Death ID no

Electronic Immunization Certification

1. immunization certification using the Birth ID no.

In the third phase, the following services may be made available:

Online Ticket Booking

1. online booking of tickets for bus, airplane and railway

Online Utility Bill Payment

• online payment of utility bills of water, gas, telephone etc.

Detailed cost break-up of Digital Town may be seen in Appendix-3