MANU AIYAPPA - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
4 Feb, 2007 2233hrs IST
HUBLI: Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation has initiated measures to obtain the ISO 9001:2000 certification for its quality management systems that will put a stamp of excellence on its services provided to the citizens.
The corporation is inching towards this goal with the help of TUW, an international organisation for standardisation based in Netherlands.
If successful in this endeavour, the HDMC will be the first municipal corporation in the state to be awarded the certification and the third civic body in the country.
A three-member team of experts from TUW will start evaluating its services being rendered to the citizens from Monday. The civic body has been striving to improve its services. The HDMC has undergone a revolutionary change over the last two years for the purpose.
There has been significant transparency in the administrative activities, thanks to the successful initiation of egovernance. The attitude of the office staff has also transformed for the better. Unlike earlier, they are more eager and helpful now.
However, the biggest achievement of HDMC was the opening of Citizens’ Facilitation Centre (zonal offices) aimed at decentralising power and deliver timebound services.
The centres, which have cash counters, help desks and a complaints desk, resemble corporate office as far as ambience is concerned. They enable citizens to submit applications/ complaints, check the status of their letters, and receive vital and useful information related to HDMC besides other routine activities like getting birth/ death certificates, paying property tax and water bills.
Data mining and maintenance have all become easier now. One does not have to go through numerous large files for days to retrieve a single document. The 24x7 control room, started by HDMC for good governance, has also been effectively functioning with more than 90% redressal. A rather anxious HDMC commissioner P Manivannan said the members of the evaluation team should be impressed with the different system established by the HDMC to transact business with the citizens.
He said: “If they find any discrepancies, the evaluation team would give a month’s time to put all these systems into place. They will also advise us on the records to be maintained to obtain ISO 9001:2000.”
He said the team will submit their final report to their office within a month and the municipal corporation is likely to get the certification by March-end. However, Manivannan expressed confidence that HDMC will be able to get the certification though there is quite a lot of discrepancy between the goals of the quality policy and reality.
The corporation is inching towards this goal with the help of TUW, an international organisation for standardisation based in Netherlands.
If successful in this endeavour, the HDMC will be the first municipal corporation in the state to be awarded the certification and the third civic body in the country.
A three-member team of experts from TUW will start evaluating its services being rendered to the citizens from Monday. The civic body has been striving to improve its services. The HDMC has undergone a revolutionary change over the last two years for the purpose.
There has been significant transparency in the administrative activities, thanks to the successful initiation of egovernance. The attitude of the office staff has also transformed for the better. Unlike earlier, they are more eager and helpful now.
However, the biggest achievement of HDMC was the opening of Citizens’ Facilitation Centre (zonal offices) aimed at decentralising power and deliver timebound services.
The centres, which have cash counters, help desks and a complaints desk, resemble corporate office as far as ambience is concerned. They enable citizens to submit applications/ complaints, check the status of their letters, and receive vital and useful information related to HDMC besides other routine activities like getting birth/ death certificates, paying property tax and water bills.
Data mining and maintenance have all become easier now. One does not have to go through numerous large files for days to retrieve a single document. The 24x7 control room, started by HDMC for good governance, has also been effectively functioning with more than 90% redressal. A rather anxious HDMC commissioner P Manivannan said the members of the evaluation team should be impressed with the different system established by the HDMC to transact business with the citizens.
He said: “If they find any discrepancies, the evaluation team would give a month’s time to put all these systems into place. They will also advise us on the records to be maintained to obtain ISO 9001:2000.”
He said the team will submit their final report to their office within a month and the municipal corporation is likely to get the certification by March-end. However, Manivannan expressed confidence that HDMC will be able to get the certification though there is quite a lot of discrepancy between the goals of the quality policy and reality.
