MARCOS GONSALVES
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MARGAO: To serve the citizens of Margao and Fatorda better Margao Municipal Counci (MMC) is planning to start a ‘One-City-One App’. All municipal services may or may not be provided to the citizens through this new initiative.
This project of MMC may be at the initial stages; however, on Monday as a first step towards the project, one Mumbai-based company has given their presentation to the first batch of councillors at Fatorda. The civic body is hoping that this will bring speedy services to the citizens of the commercial town.
Speaking to Herald, Lyndon Pereira, chairperson of Margao Municipal Council, said that the app will be launched very shortly, once the civic body passes the resolution. The project is yet to be presented before the council.
“We have not yet finalised the project, but the plan to have ‘one city-one app’ is confirmed. All services may not be under municipality but should be with the civic body. This is basically an app where the Municipality will perform duties, which a normal municipal council perform in the true sense of the word”, he stated.
He informed that basically there will be no need to call up officers or councillors for work to be done once the app is started. The app will engage the citizens in the development of the town.
“If there is a breakdown in water supply, if garbage is not collected somewhere or if a tree has been uprooted one can directly update the municipality through the app. That means the app will address all the grievances of the citizens”, said Pereira.
He further said that in COVID times if volunteers are needed the App would inform the concerned authorities for services.
“These are the few ideas we have floated but the whole motive is to have a ‘one-city-one-app’ and whatever issues the citizens might have, all would be addressed through the app in quick times”, he stated.
MMC have neither named the app nor finalised any company to develop the same. However, the process has started and it will be launched in the next few months.
Lyndon said the project being in the initial stages, research will be done on the issues of citizens and the kind of services required. “The issues of one ward may not be the same with another ward of the municipality. We are trying to find out all,” he said.
As informed by the chairperson the issues pertaining to water, electricity, garbage, and others will be addressed through the app.
“If anywhere in the Municipality jurisdiction garbage is not lifted on time what a citizen needs to do is just upload the photo of the area on the app. The app will notify the concerned supervisor or the officer and will see to it that garbage is lifted”, he informed.
Besides, issues pertaining to house tax, trade licence, applications for certain permissions, etc, will be addressed through the proposed app.
