http://www.saukaryam.org

International accolades are pouring in for Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation's (vmc) cyber initiative, Project Saukaryam (convenience). Awards received include the United Nations Development Programme (undp) cyber city award 2002, to add to the prestigious Stockholm Challenge International Award (public service) in 2001 to name just two.

Designed by Sanjay Jaju, an ias official and municipal commissioner of the city, Project Saukaryam delivers a host of services. The scheme made vmc the first municipal body in the country to go online. Today it is a benchmark for e-governance. Vizag dwellers can register and verify births and deaths online and get the certificates delivered to their residences. Payment of municipal dues and taxes, trade license fees and obtaining building permissions are just a few of the other services offered. The public can access the website through computers and touchscreen kiosks set up in banks and cinema halls.

For procedures requiring face-to-face interaction, Jaju has set up air-conditioned facilitation centres in the corporation office, manned by trained officials. The project is a shining example of public-private partnership. Of the Rs 2 crore spent on developing Saukaryam, the corporation dished out only Rs 25 lakh.