Edappadi K Palaniswami announces Rs 90 crore ‘Citizen Vault’ project

Chennai: Seeking to give a fresh thrust to take E-governance in Tamil Nadu to the next level, in delivering quick and efficient public services to the people, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced a major Rs 90 crore project to set up a ‘Citizens Vault’ by the Tamil Nadu E-governance Agency (TNeGA), to facilitate citizens automatically access all certificates and legal papers from ‘birth to death’.

Making a suo motu statement in the House under Rule 110 of the Assembly, Mr Palaniswami said under the proposed scheme individual citizens need not have to run from one department to another to apply for various certificates.

The TNeGA will create a unique number for every citizen in the State and all certificates required for each individual, “from birth to death’ will be digitized and stored in the ‘Citizens Vault’. Anyone wishing to get any of the certificates from the government departments, should call the designated number from their individual mobile phones and once the caller is identified by an ‘OTP’ number, they can download the needed certificates from the ‘Citizens Vault’ without having to make a formal application in writing, Mr. Edappadi Palaniswami said.

It will cost Rs 90 crore to implement this project, he said, adding it is part of Amma government’s ‘Makkalai Thedi’ (Government Reaching out to the People) initiative.

Making a series of other announcements, Mr. Palaniswami said to boost industrial growth in Tamil Nadu and to help attract more investments, an office of the State Industrial Guidance Bureau will be set up in Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi.

A sum of Rs 10 crore is being set apart annually for industrial promotional activities including seminars and conventions within the country and abroad, CM said.

A web portal to connect land owners having more than 20 acres of land with potential investors will be set up at Rs 1 crore, he said, adding, to settle complaints, 'biz buddy' system will be introduced that will resolve the complaints in four weeks.

CM said a website ‘Yadhum Oore’ will be created at Rs 60 lakh to connect all NRI Tamils and enable their investments in TN, besides creating awareness about the industrial investment avenues in the state.

Mr. Palaniswami announced a sea water desalination plant will be set up in Thoothukudi by SIPCOT at Rs 634 crore. The 60 MLD plant at Mullakadu will fulfill the water needs of the industries there, he said. In Kancheepuram and Erode districts, he said 'SIPCOT parks' will be created to boost exports at a cost of Rs. 50 crore. A new IT park will be set up in Coimbatore at a cost of Rs 200 crore on nine acres of land.

A 'Centre of Excellence' will be set up in Kancheepuram at Rs 100 crore for an aerospace and defence industries complex, CM said.

Ensure integrity and security of data and information, 'Block chain Backbone Infrastructure' will set up in the state, he added.