Principal Correspondent
Kohima, May 22
Nagaland Chief Minister T. R. Zeliang while launching the pilot phase of the Nagaland Treasury Computerization Project here today expressed the hope to witness ‘clarity, accuracy and transparency’ in financial administration of the government.
Addressing the gathering, in the Directorate of Treasuries and Accounts adjacent to Kohima DC office here this morning, Zeliang said that the government always opted for e-Governance and the flagging off of the project signals the beginning of a computerized and online environment for the financial activities of the State.
“This is a much awaited event, and signals the beginning of computerized and online environment for the financial activities of the State,” he said.
Expressing that submission of reports by treasuries through special messengers and Dak runners done in earlier days used to make things difficult and also created room for discrepancies and frauds at the cost of the State Exchequer, he hoped that once the computerization of the State’s Treasuries is completed there will be immediate clarity, accuracy and transparency.
A much prized benefit will be the huge advantage that will come in the areas of monitoring of expenditure and generation of reports and key data that will help enhance the quality of financial administration of the State Government and also improve the quality of compilation of the State’s accounts by the Accountant General, Zeliang said.
The chief minister also asserted that the there will be no looking back, although the project will be proceeding in a phased manner. “Slowly, we will capture all financial transactions of the State Government instantly, in real time,” he said.
However, he said that migrating to a fully online system of transaction and payments which is an initiative being spearheaded by the Reserve Bank of India should be appreciated from a bigger and more important perspective and background.
Eventually, he said, the government’s goal is of a cashless and paperless environment and the ultimate goals are speed, accuracy, convenience and reduced interface between the departments and the public, the Chief Minister added.T R Zeliang appreciated the NIC team of Manipur, officers of the Finance department, the Directorate of Treasuries & Accounts and WIPRO Consultancy Services for their efforts and further urged them to keep up the pace and work hard to fully put the new system in place.
Principal Secretary and Finance Commissioner, Temjen Toy in his speech said that the project has been funded under the Mission Mode project of Treasury Computerization (MMP-TC) under the umbrella of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) of the Government of India. The agreement with the Project Consultants M/s WIPRO was signed on March 29, 2012.
He said that the Government of India has so far released an amount of Rs. 1.89 crore for the project.
The initiative of migrating to a fully online system of transactions and payments aims at reaching new levels and standards in managing manpower planning, pension and new pension schemes management, grievance handling, cadre management, performance and payroll management.
It will have a broad based positive impact on efficient budgeting process, cash-flow, human capital management and online disbursement.
The system would help promote real-time reconciliation of account, besides improving accuracy and time-lines in preparation of accounts and also transparency and efficiency in public distribution system.
The system will also streamline and speed up transaction of treasuries with the prime departments dealing with finance and accounts.
The project is launched under National Mission Mode Project and National e-Governance Programme Reform initiative of the Government of India.
Principal Director T&A, Z. Mesen chaired the programme, wherein the CM also inaugurated the room consisting the computers for error free datas. OSD (General), Finance Department, V. Kezo delivered the welcome address while Director, Treasuries & Accounts, K. Tiayanger Tzudir tendered the vote of thanks.