Chandigarh, September 1: Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal while defining Information Technology in a new way said that in today's era, the correct definition of IT is Immediate Transformation. He said that we have to move towards the Happiness Index. The aim of the government is to bring ease of living to the common man of the state by using IT.

The Chief Minister was speaking on the occasion of the launch of Auto Appeal software 'AAS' developed by the Haryana Right to Service Commission in collaboration with the Information and Technology Department and NIC.

Sh. Manohar Lal said that by ensuring transparency and accountability, this software has been launched with the objective of providing benefits of government services and schemes at the doorstep of the last person standing in line. This will prove to be a milestone in the timely delivery of government services. The start of this app has given people hope and we have to convert this hope to reality. He said that this hope of the people can be fulfilled only when all the services are made online.

The Chief Minister said that action should be taken against the officer or employee who does not work within the prescribed time limit. The punishment fixed by the commission for dereliction of service delivery should be strictly implemented. But the officers and employees who work ahead of time should also be rewarded. He said that there are about 4 months left for the Good Governance Day, during which every employee should be evaluated.

Sh. Manohar Lal said that AAS is a good start. But right now there is a lack of awareness among the people regarding it. Therefore, there is a need to create awareness among the people by running a campaign that the solution to their problems can be found sitting at home. He said that at present, out of 546 notified services of 38 organizations of 31 departments, 277 services are being provided online through Antyodaya Saral Portal while 269 services are being provided offline. He directed the Administrative Secretaries of various departments that the rest of the services should also be made online at the earliest.

He said that on October 26, 2014, when I took over the responsibility of public service, there was a queue of people outside the house and office of the Chief Minister, ministers and government officers. They had to come to the capital of the state for every small and big work. I used to be very pained to see all this and often wondered why people should have to go to government offices for their work when it could be done while sitting at home.

Within a month and a half of assuming office, the present government launched the CM Window and empowered the common man to lodge complaints sitting at home. So far, about 9 lakh complaints have been registered on this, out of which action has been taken on 8.25 lakh complaints. In this way, about 400 people had to come to Chandigarh every day for their small and big works. Due to CM window, time and money of these people has been saved. He said that unique initiatives like Antyodaya Saral Portal, Web Halaris, Meri Fasal-Mera Byora have made life easier for the people.

On this occasion, the Chief Commissioner, Haryana Right to Service Commission, Sh. TC Gupta and Commissioner, Sh. Hardeep Kumar gave detailed information about AAS. Principal Secretary, Electronics, Information Technology and Communications Department, Sh. Vineet Garg, apprised about the IT initiatives taken by the department. Administrative Secretaries of various departments and Deputy Commissioners of districts joined the programme online.

Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. DS Dhesi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. V Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Department, Sh. PK Das, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Amit Agrawal, Deputy Principal Secretary, Smt. Ashima Brar, Additional Chief Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Sh. Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary, Archives, Archaeology & Museums Departments, Sh. Ashok Khemka, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, Transport Department, Sh. Shatrujeet Kapoor, Commissioner, Employment Department, Sh. Nitin Yadav and Secretary of the Commission, Smt. Meenaxee Raj were also present during the programme.