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Local Government

Indian state's e-services woes

By Alice Kok | 12 February 2009

Coimbatore city in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, is looking at ways to popularise an online registration of birth and death facility. Despite having the process moved online since 1996, the number of online applications average at two to three a month.

The civic body, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, is working on establishing a network to private hospitals and reaching out to the public through the media. Anshul Mishra Corporation Commissioner wants health officials of the civic body to examine all options to increase online registration so that people do not have to queue up at the Corporation’s offices. The online facility is also meant to eliminate touts who make money by providing application forms and using the delay in the manual system.

R. Sumathi Assistant City Health Officer says this poor response continues despite the figures of 45 to 55 births and 19 to 22 deaths a day in the city. “There should be at least 50 registrations although we only expect 15 to 20 registrations altogether in a day,” she says.

The system allows forms to be filled up online while the certificate is sent via post to the applicant’s home within three days. The application costs US$1.32 for two copies. The only reason for approaching the Corporation offices is if extra copies are needed.

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