MARGAO: DigiLocker is a “digital locker” service operated by the Government of India that enables Indian citizens to store certain official documents on the cloud, a shared data server. Unfortunately after three years of its launch in 2015, only two departments in Goa issue e-signed documents — the Water Resource Department and Goa Online (Revenue Department).
WRD was the first department in Goa to issue certificates online using the DigiLocker platform for all their services such as registration of wells, tube wells, etc. These are also the only departments in Goa to accept documents from the DigiLocker using the link. Since the launch of the service in 2017, the department has issued 2807 certificates on DigiLocker.
The Revenue department’s website, goaonline.gov.in, since its launch this year, issued 9349 documents on DigiLocker. The department issued 8319 residence certificate, 511 divergence certificates and 501 Champions Skill Enhancement Programme Certificates using the DigiLocker Platform.
Unfortunately, this state-of-the-art technology platform is lacking in many areas. Experts criticised the Goa government for neglecting this platform. “There is no co-ordinated effort by the Government to implement this technology which would have reduced a lot of paperwork”, says a contractor of WRD. “If I have to bid for a tender, the tender website has no provision for accepting DigiLocker certificate links. I have to remove a printout of the certificate from DigiLocker and upload it on the e-tender website. What is the use of DigiLocker?” he questioned.
While States like Maharashtra, Bihar, UP, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, etc, are all issuing Secondary and Higher Secondary school certificates on Digital Locker, Goa is yet to adopt this platform. Sources in the Board say that they are currently working on issuing certificates of the last 20 years on the DigiLocker. “We need support from the government and also from schools. We are doing this on our own. If the government had to push for it, we would have done it by now”, said a source in the Goa Board.
The delay in implementing digital locker is primarily because there were no empanelled website developers in the State since the last two years who could have upgraded the government websites to enable the use of DigiLocker.
However, there are several certificates issued by Central government departments and private companies that can be accessed on the DigiLocker website and app. For example, Pan card, driver’s licence, Gas voucher, Aadhaar Card and even private car insurance certificates are available on the DigiLocker app. Users can also upload documents up to 1 GB in size on the DigiLocker.
“DigiLocker is a secure platform that can protect people’s certificates from fires, floods and other calamities. We were proud to be one of the first to implement the technology in Goa. It took some time getting used to but now the department officials and even the applicants are very happy with the system”, said a developer who worked for the firm that integrated the DigiLocker platform with the WRD website.
