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UDC

Union Parishad is the oldest local government institution in the country. It is the closest government to the people at the grassroots level. The information technology based center 'Union Digital Centre' established in the Union Parishad has given a new dimension to the Parishad. On November 11, 2010, the Hon'ble Prime Minister inaugurated a Union Digital Center (UDC) in all the Union Parishads across the country through video conference from his office and Miss Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) from Char Kukrimukri Union in Bhola district. . The main objective of UDC is to transform the Union Parishad into a strong institution so that these institutions can play their proper role in establishing an information and knowledge-based nation by 2021. In addition, these centers can play a far-reaching role in bringing public-private information and services closer to the people, bridging the technology divide and connecting all citizens with modern systems of information flow.

The journey of UDC started with the slogan of 'Service at Doorsteps'. The establishment of UDC has made it possible to create a free flow of information in every aspect of society and state system, where people no longer have to go from door to door for services, rather the services are reaching people's doorsteps. Free flow of information is one of the prerequisites for empowering people.

Due to the establishment of Union Digital Center, common citizens are now getting about 60 types of public and private services from UDC easily, at low cost and hassle-free. Around 11.5 crore services have been provided since its inception, and UISC entrepreneurs are earning Rs. 5.5 crore per month by providing services.

Notable Government Services of UDC are: Land Deed, Life Insurance, Rural Electricity Bill Payment, Government Forms, Public Examination Results, Online University Admission, Online Birth-Death Registration, VGF-VGD List, Citizen Certificate, Citizen Application, Agricultural Information, Health advice etc. Private services are: Mobile Banking, Computer Training, Photography, Internet Browsing, Email, Job Information, Compose, British Council English Education, Visa Application & Tracking, Video Conferencing, Printing, Scanning, Photocopying, Laminating etc.

Some notable service figures are as follows:

Providing computer training is one of the most important services of UISC. This initiative is very important to build a technology dependent society. Currently 3,773 UDCs are providing low-cost computer training using multimedia projectors. From November 2010 to March 2014, about 52 thousand students and youth received computer training from UDC.

With an aim to reach insurance facilities to the rural people, the state insurance company, Jeevan Bima Corporation has introduced Jeevan Bima services in 2,768 UDCs of the country. So far, a total of 36,000 citizens have received the service.

Mobile banking activities are ongoing in 2363 UISCs of 4 Banks (Dutch Bangla, Trust, One Bank and Bikash) with the aim of providing banking services to Trinamul people who are deprived of banking facilities. So far about 60 thousand citizens have taken the service.

Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (REB) has so far arranged payment of rural electricity bills through 727 UDCs to deliver services at the doorsteps of the people.

Telemedicine has been launched from 30 Union Digital Centers with the help of the Department of Health with the aim of bringing health facilities to the doorsteps of people deprived of health facilities in rural towns. Besides, more than 500 UDCs have health camps.

A poor farmer is empowered by getting right information at right time from UDC; This increases both his agricultural production and income. A common citizen can apply for copy of land parcel without going to upazila or district office, saving his time, labor and money. A village student can apply for university admission through SMS sitting in his own village. A migrant worker can learn English using digital media. Even sitting in remote areas, a common man can receive medical care through video conference. People affected by climate change can get local disaster forecasts in just a few seconds. Thus the UDC has made the Union Parishad a 'functional and people's institution' by providing various government information to the rural people.

And Union Digital Center has been made functional by UDC entrepreneurs. Each center is staffed by two entrepreneurs; A boy and a girl. Having a woman entrepreneur has increased women's accessibility to the center. An entrepreneur is an investor, not an employee, and earns his living from the income he earns by providing services to the public. That is, a total of 9,094 young ICT entrepreneurs have been self-employed in 4,547 centres. Since the information and service center is run on a public-private partnership model, entrepreneurs have invested alongside the government. Already several entrepreneurs are doing good work overcoming extreme adversity, and earning more than 50 thousand rupees per month by providing various types of public and private e-services to citizens. Arif, the entrepreneur of Jessore's Arabpur UDC, Nadira, the entrepreneur of Ponabalia UDC, Jhalkathi, Josna, the entrepreneur of Nitpur UDCC, Naogaon, Moon, the entrepreneur of Sadyapuskarni UDCC, Rangpur, and Saddam, the entrepreneur of Bhangabari UDCC, Sirajganj are among them.

Union Parishad is the oldest local government institution in the country, which has undergone many movements and struggles to transform it into a strong and effective service institution. But changing local government institutions is a long process and a matter of political culture. This is not possible overnight. Changes have to be made through a gradual process. At one time people did not use Union Parishad much. Union Parishads were only occasionally used for village arbitration. People had the idea that the Union Parishad is not opened regularly. UDC has changed this concept. Union Parishad has now increased the accessibility of people. Every month more than 40 lakh people are receiving various government and private e-services from UDC. The establishment of UDCC in Union Parishads has increased the capacity of Union Parishads manifold and strengthened the local government system. Following the successful experience of UISC, 319 Municipalities in the country and 407 City Digital Centers (CDCs) have been set up at Ward level in 11 City Corporations.

Local administration directly associated with the work of UDC. Upazila Nirbahi Officers are directly involved in UDC sustainability with supervision as Upazila e-Gov: Focal Point and Additional District Commissioner (General) as District E-Gov: Focal Point. District Commissioners and Divisional Commissioners take decisions on this matter and give necessary instructions. Cabinet Division and Local Government Division coordinate this work. As a result, people's trust towards the Union Parishad has increased a lot.

The Union Parishad Chairman monitors the activities of the UDC as the Chairman of the UDC Management Committee. And Union Parishad Secretary closely assisted in this work. The District Information Officer takes all possible initiatives in the promotion of UDC. As a result Union Parishad has become a prestigious institution for common people, Union Parishad Chairman, Secretary and members.

Many countries around the world have piloted telecentres, one-stop-services and information centres; But there is no known country which has succeeded in setting up information centers across the country and mass-orientating the centers simultaneously by encouraging the local government institutions. Through the establishment of UDCs, public and private services reach the doorsteps of the people, strengthen local government institutions, and create employment. It was unthinkable in the existing reality of Bangladesh, and needless to say. It is also unimaginable in world reality.