About UsAbout GIC Website
Overview
Introduction
The Re-engineering Government (Re-Gov) Programme of ICTA has initiated a number of eServices and enabling projects to increase the efficiency of the citizen service and information delivery mechanism of the government. It is common knowledge that obtaining the correct and relevant information which is related to the citizen services provided by various government organizations is a difficult and unpleasant task. In order to address this situation, the Re-Gov Programme initiated the Government Information Centre (GIC) Project to provide such information in all 3 languages through a call centre.
In order to provide the same information given through the call centre over the web, a parallel project was initiated to design the GIC website (www.gic.gov.lk).
The call centre which is operational on 14 hours x 7 days basis is highly utilized. On average it receives over 5,500 calls daily.
However, it became obvious that if the same information can be provided over the web, such information can be accessed by citizen 24 hours x 7 without any limitations. This idea gave the birth to GIC website www.gic.gov.lk which has already won 2 international awards.
Objectives
a) To organize and present the information in the GIC web in a citizen-friendly, intention-based manner.
b) To organize departmental services in a logical manner where it would easily respond to citizen inquiries.
c) This should also provide user friendly mechanisms for uploading information to the website by various government organizations.
d) Improve the collaborative nature of the website by providing information as RSS feeds which could be consumed by other online applications and websites.
e) Facilitate citizens with downloadable forms in relation to citizen services provided by government organizations.
f) To provide a facility for the citizens to make complain or grievance in relation to government services.
g) Facilitate directing complains to relevant government organizations and system should also facilitate maintaining feedbacks in relation to the complain number.
h) Provide the location information about key government service providers at the village level by consuming the web services/RSS feeds provided by various government organizations.
Ownership
The Presidential Secretariat has taken over the ownership of the Call Center project (GIC – 1919) since April 2009; however ICTA still owns and manages the GIC website.
Governance model
Policy level governance
A Project Steering Committee headed by the Additional Secretary to the President make all policy decisions related to the GIC call center as well as the website.
Operational level governance
Operational actions are carried out by the ICTA “GIC - Team”. The “GIC Team” meets regularly and discusses the ways to further improve the mechanism for providing information trough web.
Technical governance
The “GIC - Team” with the web development team reviews the technical aspects of the website for ensuring the high quality of the website in conformity to “Government Web Standards”.
• A Content Management System (Joomla - CMS) is used to manage and organize the information
• Provide training to the GIC coordinators on updating content
• Information is updated by the GIC coordinators of the respective organizations regularly
• Status of content updating process is maintained in a Google document
• ICTA monitors and coordinates the content uploading, maintenance, enhancements and modifications.
There is a template for providing information in relation to the government organizations and citizen services to the Government Information Center (GIC) - 1919. The information should be provided in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages. Please use following templates to prepare and submit information.
