SDMC to go paperless, officials will use tablets
RESOURCE CONSERVATION Civic body will buy 35 tablets for ₹35 lakh, at present it incurs an annual cost of ₹2 crore on printing
NEW DELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will become paperless and start using tablets for all its work from next month to cut down printing and paper expenses.
The civic body’s standing committee meeting passed a proposal on Monday to buy tablets for councillors and officials.
Standing committee chairman Shailendra Singh said all work, including meeting agendas, will be carried out on tablets from the next session.
“The corporation incurs a cost of ₹2 crore annually on printing of agenda papers. In the past five months, the agency has spent ₹45 lakh on printing, which was not required. Usage of tablets will help in saving expenditure and preserving natural resources,” said Singh.
Initially, all heads of department (HODs), members and officers connected with the functioning of the standing committee will get the gadget. “To begin with, we will purchase 35 tablets, including 10 for standing committee members. These tables will cost us ₹7 lakh,” said Singh.
The facility is expected to help proper record keeping. It can also be used for later reference.
“These tablets will help in reading and circulating the agenda of the meetings easily,” said SDMC House leader, Subhash Arya.
Earlier too, the civic agency tried to make its councillors tech savvy. In 2012, the SDMC bought “the latest model” laptops for its 104 councillors. Arya said the councillors still use the laptops.
In 2007, the unified MCD spent ₹1.63 crore on laptops for its 272 councillors. Most councillors didn’t use them citing computer illiteracy. In 2011, the MCD organised computer workshops . Few councillors attended them.
The laptops distributed in 2007 are old and cannot be used anymore, said Arya.