Mumbai: The state government has given administrative and financial approval to purchase iPads for 41 Cabinet members. Under the initiative, ministers will be able to view cabinet proposals on the device and will be given a secure password to maintain the confidentiality of the documents.
Although billed as a step towards a paperless Cabinet, many senior ministers are not known to be tech-savvy. According to a source, concerns remain about the practical implementation of the initiative.
In 2017 when the Shiv Sena-BJP government was in power, then CM Devendra Fadnavis had distributed laptops to 288 MLAs and 78 legislative council members. However, apart from viewing the agenda, the laptops saw little use by most legislators.
The general administration department issued a government resolution on Wednesday allocating Rs 1.16 crore to procure 50 iPads or related accessories. The devices will be purchased through e-tendering and ministers will be trained on how to use them. In a cabinet meeting held in January, chief secretary Sujata Saunik had presented the concept of an e-Cabinet.
However, there is growing skepticism whether iPads given to ministers will actually be used effectively. Similar doubts – which ultimately proved right to an extent – had surfaced when laptops were provided to MLAs.
When queried, social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat said that all MLAs should be trained on how to use laptops effectively for official work. Speaking about the new initiative, he pointed out that the government is promoting paperless working. “If we are given iPads, it will be much easier to store data like proposals, notes and references digitally instead of handling lots of paper.”
