Digital Nothi System brings dynamism in service delivery in Natore

Publish: 8:22 PM, August 6, 2021 | Update: 8:22 PM, August 6, 2021

NATORE,– The people of the country’s northern district Natore are now enjoying the hassle-free government services since the district administration geared up e-filing activities up to upazila level in line with the government’s ongoing nationwide campaign to make its all offices paperless ones.

“The use of Digital Nothi System is increasing day by day in the district as it facilitates the government officials from district to upazila levels to release any file quickly,” said an official of the district administration.

Along with saving time and money, he said, the e-filing system is reaching the paperless office facility to the people’s doorsteps, thanks to the government’s ‘Digital Bangladesh’ vision.

According to sources at the Natore Deputy Commissioner (DC) office, a total of 80,279 e-files were submitted to the DC office till May 25 this year, while 78,081 files were disposed of after following all procedures.

Besides, the sources said, the office issued 17,761 e-files during the period.

Sharif Shaon, assistant commissioner of the DC office’s ICT wing, said all officials of the 24 branches of the DC office are connected to Digital Nothi System, while trainings on Digital Nothi management are being given to all officials at district and upazila levels.

Apart from the DC office, he said, all district-level offices and administration in seven upazilas have been brought under the Digital Nothi System, while a total of 160 officials have been imparted training on the Digital Nothi System management from October to December 2020, and the training programmes are going on.

Shaon added that the District Social Services Office and the Primary and Secondary Education Office are on the frontline of implementing the Digital Nothi System.

District Social Services Office Deputy Director Md Mostafizur Rahman said all activities of his office are being conducted through Digital Nothi System, while the branch offices in Natore town and six other upazilas as well as ‘Government Shishu Paribar’ have already started using the Digital Nothi System.

Noting that all the formalities starting from receiving and issuing the file to decision-making level are being maintained through Digital Nothi System management, Rahman said his office has so far received 3,429 postal e-files, and 3,414 of them have already been released.

The district office has issued 2,615 letters during the time, he said, mentioning that in official assessment till August 31, 2020, Natore District Social Services Office has been ranked 7th among all government offices across the country in terms of using Digital Nothi System.

Nilufa Yesmin, national consultant for e-filing implementation of a2i, said the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) under the Cabinet Division and the ICT Division with the support from UNDP launched the e-filing (e-Nothi) in March 2016 for ensuring faster movement of files at different tiers in the government offices ensuring transparency and accountability in the governance system.

Nilufa, however, said the updated version of the e-filing has been launched as ‘Digital Nothi System’ equipped with modern technologies in June this year.

As many as 11,000 government offices across the country have so far been connected to the system, while more than 100,000 users are currently using it, she said, adding that all government offices will be linked to the Digital Nothi System facility by 2022.

Besides, government officials from ministry to upazila levels have been imparted trainings by the a2i on operating Digital Nothi System aiming at executing the initiative at the grassroots level, she added.

Natore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Shahriaz said most of the offices including the DC office of the district are using the Digital Nothi System, and use of the electronic file management is rising gradually here.

“We’re working with an aim to make the DC office cent percent paperless one soon,” he said, adding use of Digital Nothi management at educational offices and institutions and Union Digital Centers (UDCs) would infuse more dynamism into delivering services in the institutions ensuring the transparency and accountability.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the government has taken the initiative of bringing all offices under the Digital Nothi management to ensure transparency and bring more dynamism in public services.

To expand the scope of Digital Nothi System, he said, the method has been transformed into ‘Digital Nothi System’ with modern technologies so that the file can be operated in offline service.