With an aim to have paper-less offices, Himachal Pradesh is drawing up an ambitious plan to adopt the e-governance model of Gujarat. The move promises to cut down delays and ensure greater transparency in the functioning of the government.

The model is already functional in Maharashtra, Orissa, Bihar and is under trial in Madhya Pradesh.

Rajasthan and Karnataka are also planning to adopt the model. If followed by Himachal Pradesh, the state will be paperwork-free within next five years.

State’s chief secretary Asha Swaroop, who in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting earlier, said, “We have taken initiatives like SMS gateway,e-samadhan and interactive web-based services. The new proposal is an integration of all these technologies to make working more efficient, transparent and accountable.”

The proposal was discussed in a meeting of the secretaries’ committee on Tuesday. Earlier, a representation was made by TATA consultancy organisation on recommendation of the Centre. The government will have to spend nearly Rs 25 crore to operationalise, provide computers to all employees and officials in the state’s civil secretariat.

Initially, the model will be implemented in the three core departments— Chief Minister’s office, personnel and finance— on pilot basis.

Based on the experience, other departments like forest, environment, tourism, health etc will also be brought under the model, said an IAS officer.

Senior bureaucrats and heads of departments, who were invited to the presentation, gave a go-ahead to the scheme.

“These technologies, which provide better services to citizens and avoid unnecessary delays, have been already being used in some organisations successfully. Some of the Central Government agencies and state Governments have already adopted this model,” said T G Negi, principal secretary (administrative reforms).

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