Maharashtra mandates five governance reforms to make public services fully digital; details here

The Maharashtra government on Monday mandated five key Government Process Reengineering GPR reforms across administrative departments to streamline public services eliminate the need for physical visits to government offices and significantly reduce approval layersUnder the new framework departments have been directed to utilise databases such as Aadhaar MahaSamanvay and DigiLocker to autofill application details while restricting approval chains to a maximum of three levels to speed up decisionmaking reported PTIFive reforms to improve public service deliveryAccording to a Government Resolution GR issued by the state Planning Department every administrative department must adopt the five guiding principles while preparing proposals under the Government Process Reengineering GPR initiative to make public services and welfare schemes more accessible transparent and efficientDepartments have also been instructed to ensure that citizens no longer need to make physical visits to government offices by relying on online verification and validation systemsAadhaar DigiLocker and MahaSamanvay to simplify applicationsThe government has directed departments to keep application forms as simple as possible by autofilling or autofetching information from Aadhaar MahaSamanvay and other government databases wherever feasible reported PTIThe resolution further states that mandatory documentation should be minimised by using government databases through API interoperability and DigiLocker Physical copies of documents should not be sought where digital records are available while selfdeclarations should be given preference wherever applicableApproval process capped at three levelsTo accelerate decisionmaking the state government has ordered that approval chains be restricted to a maximum of three levels with the responsibilities of each approving authority clearly definedDepartments have also been instructed to reduce the time taken to process applications and deliver services by increasing the use of technology and prescribing revised timelines under the Right to Services RTS ActChief secretaryled panel to oversee implementationThe resolution states that a statelevel GPR Approval Committee headed by the Chief Secretary will be constituted to examine and approve process reengineering proposals submitted by administrative departmentsThe committee will also validate new digital workflows revised application forms documentation requirements and approval structuresMahaIT to implement digital systems on priorityThe government has authorised secretaries of administrative departments to issue the necessary procedural changes government resolutions circulars and guidelines for approved proposals in cases that do not require legislative amendments or highlevel policy decisionsThe resolution further directs MahaIT to implement the required digital systems and make necessary modifications to government portals on a priority basisWith PTI inputs