KOHIMA / AGARTALA, March 2 (TIWN): Tripura Govt's boosting about E-Governance has proven as wrong as Nagaland has been considered as the top state in IT as well as E-Governance. The Computer Society of India (CSI)-Nihilent Nagaland declared Nagaland as a top performing state from among the northeastern states in Information Technology and e-Governance sector. But recently, the former CS of Tripura Y P Singh announced that Tripura was first to give better response in E-Governance. But proving his claims as 'wrong' Nagaland has beat Tripura. Not only this, Tripura's has not in the list of better E-Governed states. Out of seven states (Gujarat, Nagaland, Karnataka, Chandigarh, Kerala, Pondicherry Aand Uttarakhand) which have taken up the National Information Infrastructure (NII) pilot project, Nagaland is the first state in the country to commission the pilot project for National Information Infrastructure (NII) on January 6 last.

Nagaland is the only state in India where the state is acting as Service Centre Agency without engaging private companies for running Common Service Centres. 

It is also the first state in India in the e-District Mission Mode Project," Commissioner & Secretary, Information Technology & Communication K.D. Vizo said.

The Computer Society of India is the first and largest body of computer professionals in India. The award given by the CSI -- which has 72 chapters across India, 511 student branches, and about 100,000 members -- is the highest award in the county by an NGO.

Vizo also said that Nagaland is now ranked No.1 in India in the e-District Mission Mode Project along with Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. 

Explaining the nature of the award, Vizo said the award is normally given under two categories namely State Category and Project Category. The award under the Project Category is normally given for innovations and under the State Category is given every year for the overall performance of a State in the field of IT and e-Governance.

"Nagaland was the first in India to take over State Portal and State Services Delivery Gateway (SP&SSDG) core infrastructure project, Nagaland was the only state in India where the State IT Department is running the State Data Centre without engaging private Data Centre Operator," the IT&C department official said.

Vizo said Nagaland was also the first state in the northeastern region to implement Aadhar-based Biometric Attendance System in Nagaland Civil Secretariat.

Chief Minister Shurhozelie Lezietsu, who received the award at a function here, said that much progress has been made in a very short span of time and the department has brought laurels to the state while also attracting foreign companies.

"Nagaland becoming the best performing state from among the North Eastern States in the field of IT and e-Governance, is no doubt an important milestone," he said.

Shurhozelie said young generation of the state will have no problem with the advancement of technology and expressed his hope to see Nagaland emerging as one of the best states in the field of Information & Technology.

Stating that Information Technology & Communication department has been achieving very significant milestones for the state, Chief Secretary Nagaland, Pankaj Kumar said: "Nagaland is not ranked too well in the 'Ease of Doing Business' in the country, however the State IT Department has created a portal for the Industries & Commerce Department and expects the state's ranking to improve.