Need Advance Technology Solutions To Enhance Our Digital Infra: Prabhat Malik

Prabhat Malik

Throwing light on India’s stride towards transformation and journey to be a developed nation, Elets Technomedia, recently, organised India Transformation Summit from July 10 to July 12. The three-day saw esteemed speakers from government and industry domains brainstorming on India’s growth and development.

Prabhat Malik, Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society, Department of Electronics & IT, Government of Chhattisgarh contributed his valuable insights while addressing the session themed – ‘Using IT and E-Governance for Transforming India’. He focussed his address on how technology has enabled the authorities to actively act against the Coronavirus pandemic and control the crisis.

Mr Malik commenced his address by sharing his experience of tackling the Coronavirus pandemic. He said, “Apart from COO, Chhattisgarh Infotech I am also Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Health Department… To prepare our team on the ground for fighting COVID we needed three things – tracking, testing and tracing.” The traditional process of procuring systems is a tedious one wherein there is a need to mention software requirements and other requirements and then the tender is floated. The processing takes from a year to three years sometimes, he added.

“However, an advantage for us during the COVID time was our introduction to low code application platforms. We have been using Microsoft Power platform. These are easy to use and can be made ready as per our requirements in very less time”, told  Mr Malik. Talking about e-passes and how the low code application platform has been an enabler for the authorities, he said, “Today whosoever is coming to Chhattisgarh gets an e-pass within 15 minutes. With basic details like name, contact number, address, the pass can be availed. Moreover, using these details the authorities track the person and also confirms from the district that if he has been briefed about the SOPs, if home quarantine needs to be done, etc.”

Also Read: People In Villages Taking Stricter Preventions : Rajat Bansal

Further, speaking on the contact tracing and testing, Mr Malik detailed, “When it comes to the sample collection and testing we have Government of India portals. However, when a positive case is found, the district authorities upload the relevant details of contacts to be traced on a contact tracing portal that we have developed. Even if the contacts are outside the district, other districts are also sent alerts.”

Simultaneously, the authorities can track logistics and mass supplies using IT, he added.

“At the backend using the government portal as well as our data analysis, we can give pinpoint information to the districts on which areas to be focussed on, how many numbers of tests to be conducted, etc. Also, through a weekly review, districts are being fed with a weekly strategy for the upcoming days”, told Mr Malik. The digital scenario is changing, the government needs prompt responses and now when we are processing huge amounts of data we need systems which are capable to process data a large scale in a short time, he added.

Speaking on training the local force on low code application platforms for better response during pandemics and disasters, Mr Malik said, “Chhattisgarh is looking forward to expanding the use of low code application platforms, training our local workforce in using those platforms and customising such platforms. Further, we are trying to reduce our response time to any such event like COVID. We are going for an MIS platform which is source-based. This will help in capturing the transactions and thereby generating actionable intelligence to supplement a field-level staff.”

Concluding his address at the session, he said, “All theses initiatives have helped us in keeping our caseload low. Our active caseload has had a slow growth rate. Also, the ability to trace and quarantine people who are asymptomatic has been high. This has helped us in preventing the spread of the virus in a larger area effectively.”

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