<p> To trace missing files and ensure that documents are in order and easily accessible to people and officials, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has undertaken the task of digitising all its files.<br /><br /></p>.<p>BDA Town Planning Member Chowdegowda told Deccan Herald that all BDA records, especially development plans, layout plans and building plans, will be digitised. Importance will also be given to land conversion details, as this is gaining importance. <br /><br />“Though some information is available online, it is not sufficient and needs to be updated. We will go backwards. First, detailed updates of the Kempegowda Layout will be put online, then Banashankari extensions and so on,” he said. <br /><br />Through this, the BDA aims to ensure that records are up-to-date, missing files are traced and knows what information it needs to collect. This will also help BDA know how many files it has. According to BDA officials, there are lakhs of files in all departments but details of many of them are not known. <br /><br />Chowdegowda said work on this will start in two months after which the cost of the exercise will be known. “We aim to complete the digitisation of at least half the files by the end of December, 2016,” he said. <br /><br />To ensure quality and speedy work, BDA will rope in IT professionals who are well-versed with technology. It will also engage additional staff after calling for tenders. “Most web pages of the BDA at present do not open and the required information is not available. This needs to be addressed. Though digitising records its a good idea, BDA must ask people what they want and disseminate data accordingly. Data uploaded should be people-friendly and BDA should ensure that while doing so, data is not tampered with or lost,” said Mathew Thomas, managing trustee of The Fifth Estate, an NGO on sound governance. <br /><br />What’s online now<br /><br />The process of making information available online was initiated around five years ago, but so far, the BDA has been able to upload basic information and most of the data is not updated. Some details available online are officials' contact numbers, Kempegowda Layout preliminary notification, proceedings of Revised Master Plan- 2035, draft master plan of 2015, development plan 1995, status report of Kempegowda Layout of December 2015, civic amenity sites notification of 2014-15, draft master plan of 2015, budget estimates of 2014-15, list of ongoing infrastructure and budget housing projects and applications forms.<br /></p>
<p> To trace missing files and ensure that documents are in order and easily accessible to people and officials, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has undertaken the task of digitising all its files.<br /><br /></p>.<p>BDA Town Planning Member Chowdegowda told Deccan Herald that all BDA records, especially development plans, layout plans and building plans, will be digitised. Importance will also be given to land conversion details, as this is gaining importance. <br /><br />“Though some information is available online, it is not sufficient and needs to be updated. We will go backwards. First, detailed updates of the Kempegowda Layout will be put online, then Banashankari extensions and so on,” he said. <br /><br />Through this, the BDA aims to ensure that records are up-to-date, missing files are traced and knows what information it needs to collect. This will also help BDA know how many files it has. According to BDA officials, there are lakhs of files in all departments but details of many of them are not known. <br /><br />Chowdegowda said work on this will start in two months after which the cost of the exercise will be known. “We aim to complete the digitisation of at least half the files by the end of December, 2016,” he said. <br /><br />To ensure quality and speedy work, BDA will rope in IT professionals who are well-versed with technology. It will also engage additional staff after calling for tenders. “Most web pages of the BDA at present do not open and the required information is not available. This needs to be addressed. Though digitising records its a good idea, BDA must ask people what they want and disseminate data accordingly. Data uploaded should be people-friendly and BDA should ensure that while doing so, data is not tampered with or lost,” said Mathew Thomas, managing trustee of The Fifth Estate, an NGO on sound governance. <br /><br />What’s online now<br /><br />The process of making information available online was initiated around five years ago, but so far, the BDA has been able to upload basic information and most of the data is not updated. Some details available online are officials' contact numbers, Kempegowda Layout preliminary notification, proceedings of Revised Master Plan- 2035, draft master plan of 2015, development plan 1995, status report of Kempegowda Layout of December 2015, civic amenity sites notification of 2014-15, draft master plan of 2015, budget estimates of 2014-15, list of ongoing infrastructure and budget housing projects and applications forms.<br /></p>