Karnataka govt files to go paperless from October 1

Karnataka Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar on Wednesday ordered deputy commissioners, zilla panchayat chief executives and others to move all files to government secretaries only through 'e-office' starting October 1.

Under 'e-office', all files are scanned and uploaded onto the system for further transactions. Besides saving reams of paper, the ‘e-office’ cuts manual movement of files and ensures speedy clearances.

“From 1.10.2021 onwards, movement of proposals, letters and reports by the DCs, CEOs of Zilla Panchayats and heads of departments to the secretary to government concerned should be only through e-office. Proposals should be sent as a single file by the concerned officer to the secretary concerned through e-office,” Kumar said in his order.

The order was issued at the behest of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who “directed that the movement of files and the number of levels at which the files are handled should be reduced”.

According to Kumar, the secretary should, as far as possible, dispose of the matter at his/her level or submit it to the minister concerned for orders. “Only in exceptional cases, where the matter requires additional information or if the matter has to be brought before the Cabinet and Cabinet note has to be prepared, the secretary can send the e-office single file to the deputy secretary,” the order states.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) had already implemented the ‘e-office’ on November 1, 2019, and all outgoing files to various departments are paperless. In June 2020, the then chief minister B S Yediyurappa announced that his office would receive files and letters in this paperless system.

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