The Hindu Business Line : Govt yet to decide on awarding computerisation contract

ONE year after bids were invited for implementation of the ambitious computerisation plan of the Ministry of Company Affairs, the Government is yet to take a final decision on awarding the contract. Industry sources said that they are still awaiting the final word from the Government.

The Ministry had short-listed TCS and ICICI Infotech for its Rs 400-crore computerisation programme covering all departments to provide effective services to registered corporate entities.

Six companies had submitted bids for implementing the project on build, operate, own and transfer (BOOT) basis.

The project was expected to go on stream by September this year. The BOOT player was to be given a timeframe of one year for the implementation of the project, which is expected to enable `anywhere and anytime' access for stakeholders to information on registered corporate entities. Ministry sources said, "The project preparation for computerisation, called DCA-21, is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2005."

The project is aimed at providing savings in time and transaction costs to over six lakh companies registered in India.

The services proposed include filing of statutory documents, registration of new companies, availability of documents in public domain through use of computers and the Internet.