Mumbai’s IT Minister Ashish Shelar is cracking down on how consultants get hired in state government offices. On Wednesday, he told officials to update a key government rule so that every detail about these hires in Mantralaya— the state secretariat—must go straight to the IT Department. The goal? To end what he calls a “loot” hidden behind consultancy fees.
Shelar explained the problem during a meeting to review IT policies and programs. Even though his department, MahaIT, puts consultants on the approved list, it gets zero updates on who actually gets picked or how much they earn. “We have no idea which agency or person is appointed, what their pay is, or other details,” he said. This lack of oversight has led to big issues across Maharashtra’s government departments.
Take this stat: Six approved agencies have placed 246 individuals in various state offices. The government foots the bill for their salaries and perks. But MahaIT just empanels them—no control after that. In some cases, one person juggles roles in multiple departments, pulling in four or five times a normal salary as a so-called “supervisor.” Shelar called it a huge drain on public money and an unfair burden on taxpayers.
To fix it, the IT Department plans a new centralized portal for all consultancy info. Every department will have to share full profiles of their consultants. A fresh Government Resolution, or GR, will spell out the rules—first from 2018 and updated in 2023—and add tough penalties. If consultants slack off or departments hide info, there will be consequences. Shelar said they’ll consult Chief Minister Eknath Shinde before issuing it. “This will bring real accountability and stop the misuse of funds,” he added.
Shifting gears, Shelar updated progress on the Golden Data Maha-Samanvay project, a big push to organize citizen data in Maharashtra. The team has gathered about 15 crore records, with 5-6 crore already verified. They’ve finished work on 144 key attributes. He pushed for wrapping up final steps—either before launch or while getting UID certification.
Once live, the system will include a Citizen Awareness feature on the Maha-Samanvay portal to alert people about their data. To keep things secure, Shelar ordered a strong firewall against invalid changes or risks. The portal needs advanced load testing to handle tons of user traffic without crashes. It should also link up with DG Yatra for smooth connectivity. Plus, an AI-powered search engine will let officials analyze data and pull out useful insights.
On citizen services, Shelar highlighted the new WhatsApp initiative, tying into Chief Minister’s directives. The government now offers these essential services—seen as a citizen’s right—through WhatsApp, thanks to a deal with Meta. The first 100 services roll out via a selected vendor. But Shelar stressed checking if that vendor can manage over 1,000 hits per second.
The aim is 1,000 total services on WhatsApp. After the initial batch, a new vendor will handle the rest through a revised request for proposal, or RFP. “We need someone who delivers fast and keeps delays low, so citizens get help right on their phones,” Shelar said. Serving people comes first, he added, making government access easier than ever.
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