Access to Information aims at building a digital nation
Access to Information (A2I) Programme is a UNDP and USAID backed project with the aim of providing support in building a digital nation.
The A2I programme aims to improve quality of public services to ensure responsiveness and transparency. Having its office at the Prime Ministers Office, the primary objective of the project is to boost transparency, improve governance, efficient time management, and costs of obtaining government services for under-served communities of Bangladesh.
In line with Governments Vision 2021, A2I has been playing a critical role in revolutionising the public service delivery in Bangladesh. A2I believes that the insufficient understanding and low confidence among government officials regarding ICT usage and administrating ICT projects is a major obstacle.
The programme also announced an Innovation Fund that will be awarded to both the public and the private sector, to facilitate service delivery to underserved communities.
Along with a lack of innovative thinking and partnership with the private sector, the A2I programme plans to spread ICT deep into the rural parts of the country.
The implementation of strapping plan and strategy relations ensures the guaranteed execution of needed legal and regulatory changes in maintaining the project and promoting innovation in the delivery of e-services.
The Access to Information team is compromised of some very prominent members of the government. The Programme Steering Committee (PSC) comprises members from the Prime Ministers Office, Cabinet Division, Finance Division (Ministry of Finance), IMED, ERD, Planning Commission, Ministry of Post and Telecom-munication, Ministry of Information and Communi-cation, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Local Government Division, Bangladesh Computer Council, UNDP Bangladesh and other co-funding development partners.
To ensure smooth operation of the programme, a Project Implementation Committee (PIC) is composed. The PIC confirms flawless implementation of the project and convenes at least once in every six months to review and resolve any pending issues.
The chair and ranks of the members of both these committees are decided in due course as per rules. Annual reviews, work plans, and budgets are prepared by the project team and submitted by the NPD to the Executive and other members of the PSC for review and approval.
Quarterly reports are arranged under the supervision of the National Project Director, and submitted to UNDP. UNDP shares narrative and financial reports with co-funding development partners.
The programme also encourages service decentralisation, gender empowerment, rural development, green initiatives, and low cost devices.
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