Dubai goes paperless for a week from today
dubai — A total of 100 service centres of 40 government entities offering 1,100 services will not be operational for a week starting today. All these services will have to be accessed online.
The campaign was launched in a bid to complete the smart transformation goals by 2021. This year’s campaign will end on October 25. According to the Dubai Media Office, the Dubai government’s Department of Finance (DoF) is leading a vast cross-government campaign to build the culture of smart transformation, delivering government services via online channels.
Dubai will witness a full transformation of government services into smart channels, through the ‘Week without Service Centres’ initiative. The campaign was launched last year for one day, after being approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Several Dubai residents have hailed the initiative and said the campaign has a plethora of benefits, including the reduction in traffic congestion, savings in time and money, energy conservation, and much more.
During this week, 100 service centres of 40 entities — a few of which are semi-government and private entities — will be fully transforming the delivery of 1,100 services into smart transactions.
During its first year, the initiative managed to achieve a leap in government revenues via Internetbased smart channels, amounting to 30 per cent on the day of the initiative, October 26, 2017.
About 31,000 smart government transactions were completed for an amount of Dh55 million, compared to Dh42.2 million for transactions completed the preceding day. Some of the par-
ticipating entities are the Awqaf and Minor Affairs Foundation, the Bait Al Khair Society, the Community Development Authority, Dafza, the Dar Al Ber Society, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai Airports, Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Service, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Jafza, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the Legal Affairs Department, the Roads and Transport Authority, Smart Dubai, and much more.
Residents hail the initiative
Dubai residents have called the idea ‘an excellent one’. Aparna Nair, a design consultant working in Garhoud, said: “It is an excellent idea, and I think it makes great sense. Sometimes, language is a barrier at service centres. However, when the service is online, I do not need to worry about these things. I can access services from the comfort of my home.”
Another resident Marvin Balita, a fitness instructor, said: “I usually use the online portals for services provided by the RTA and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa). So, it is a process I am already familiar with. But when it is done at a larger scale, it is really good because there are always queues outside certain government service centres.”
Sometimes, language is a barrier at service centres. However, when the service is online, I do not need to worry about these things.”
Aparna Nair, resident
When it is done at a larger scale, it is really good because there are always queues outside certain government service centres.
Marvin Balita, resident