New Delhi, Feb 21 (NationPress) A digital initiative unveiled by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday aims to enhance transparency and reduce human interference in the admissions process for schools under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Disadvantaged Group (DG), and Children With Special Needs (CWSN) categories.

CM Gupta stated that the old, unreliable software for school admissions has been replaced with a secure, cloud-based platform. "A thorough security audit was performed before the launch to guarantee data safety and transparency," she added.

To combat fraud and duplication, Aadhaar-based identity verification and the digital validation of birth certificates have become compulsory. Income certificates will also be verified directly through an integrated online system, significantly minimizing potential for malpractice, as per an official statement.

"This system will guarantee that eligible children get their fair access to free education in private schools in a just and transparent way," remarked the Chief Minister.

She emphasized that this is a critical initiative aimed at ensuring quality education for actual beneficiaries.

"Previously, various forms were submitted for the same child, and middlemen exploited the system. With Aadhaar integration, online applications, digital document verification, and duplication control mechanisms, the entire process will now be clear, fast, and equitable, effectively removing intermediaries," the statement said.

The admission process will be fully online and transparent. Eligibility will be verified digitally, and seat allocation will be conducted through an automated system. Parents will receive real-time updates regarding application status. Reduced human involvement will help curb corruption and unnecessary delays, as mentioned in the statement.

The key IT initiatives unveiled by the Chief Minister on Saturday included the merging of e-District services with the Common Service Centre (CSC) network, according to the statement.

Citizens will no longer need to visit multiple government offices for minor tasks. Over 7,000 active CSC centers across Delhi will provide services locally, it added.

This initiative will offer around 75 e-District services, including income, caste, and residence certificates; birth and death certificates; and services related to social welfare, food and civil supplies, labor, and education.

Each service will have a nominal fee of Rs 30, ensuring transparency and equal accessibility, as stated.

The Chief Minister termed this a historic move that will reduce financial exploitation by private cyber cafes and ensure affordable, straightforward, and transparent government services throughout the capital.

CM Gupta also revealed that, for the first time, a comprehensive digital record of all Delhi Government assets has been compiled through an Asset Management Portal. Information regarding land, buildings, availability, and encroachments can now be accessed on a single platform.

Through the 'CM Pragati' portal, all government projects are being monitored in real-time. The status of projects, approvals granted, pending files, and reasons for delay can be directly accessed at the Chief Minister’s level. This will hasten execution, prevent cost escalation, and protect public funds, as per the statement.

During the event, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood announced that the department, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has developed a new digital portal for children under the EWS, DG, and CWSN categories.

He noted that the portal, developed under the supervision of the relevant department of the Government of India, is designed to prevent duplication and any irregularities, enhance security, and make the admission process fully transparent.

Sood informed that the government allocates crores of rupees annually to schools for fees, uniforms, and other expenses for children admitted under the EWS category.

"This is public money sourced from taxpayers, and it is the government's priority to ensure that these funds reach the rightful beneficiaries and that the benefits of schemes reach the last person in line," he stated.

Delhi IT Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh mentioned that the CM Jan Sunwai Portal and app will allow citizens to file and track complaints online.

He added that a Cyber Crisis Management Plan has been implemented to bolster the security of government websites and data.

Over 200 departments are operating through the e-Office system, promoting paperless governance, and all government websites have been unified on a single platform, he noted.

A WhatsApp-based service will soon be rolled out, enabling citizens to access information and services through chat, he added.