Water resources department (WRD) has set up a special cell for e-governance of irrigation works through Integrated Computerized Information System (ICIS). Along with better management, the cell also aims to bring transparency into the transactions.

An official of Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) said that the state government has decided to increase use of information technology in irrigation works. These include project construction, irrigation management, establishment related works, planning, research and survey. "The department has already started using IT for these works. The project management cell has been set up to ensure maximum use of IT by field offices," he said.

The cell's role is to supervise whether projects are implemented as per the agreement with the contractor, regularly seek data from system integrator, keep an eye on quality of work and progress of the project as per schedule, examine reports sent by system integrator and field offices, upgrade the system as per requirements and link it with state government's public information system and upgrade the department's data regularly.

The cell will be set up in Jalsampatti Bhavan, Pune. It will have eleven staffers, headed by a superintending engineer (SE). Other staffers include three senior consultants for project management, transformation management and training and skills upgradation respectively. Two executive engineers (EEs) will also be appointed for project and transformation management. Five assistant engineers (AEs) will work under the two EEs.

The VIDC official further said the eight engineers would be staffers of WRD while the three private consultants would be appointed by central government's National Institute of Smart Government (NISG). The job of establishing the cell has been entrusted to Koyna Design Circle (KDC) of WRD, having its office at Jalsampatti Bhavan.

The WRD ministry has decided that one of the EEs will be deputed from command area development corporation (CCAD), Pune, coming under the department. One EE posted at KDC will have to work for the cell also. Additional EEs will not be appointed for the cell. There are five divisions under KDC. One AE from each of the five divisions will be deputed to the cell.