Four more services set for integration with Odisha Agnishama Seva portal

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha fire services directorate is all set to roll out four new types of online services in compliance with the government’s 5-T initiative. Applicants can get fire safety certificate for temporary makeshift structures; firecracker units; fire accident; and fire insurance reports via the recently launched Odisha Agnishama Seva portal (http://www.agnishamaseva.odisha.gov.in).
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had launched the Agnishama Seva portal on July 31 to enable people apply for fire safety certificates for different categories of buildings.The four proposed additional services would be integrated with the portal.
“We have started a capacity building exercise for our personnel. The training programme would continue till September 20. Assistant fire officers from different districts are being trained on the procedures of responding to the online applications and complying with the requirements of applicants,” director general of police (fire services, home guards and civil defence) Satyajit Mohanty said.
Mohanty said the four additional online services would be launched by the end of this month. “Those, erecting makeshift structures, including seasonal shops, opera and puja pandals, need not visit fire stations to get fire safety certificates. People, who look for fire incident reports to avail compensation from the government and claim insurance money, can also browse the website,” Mohanty said. The directorate also plans to add another feature to address the grievances of applicants.
Nearly one and a half months after the Agnishama Seva portal’s launch, the directorate has so far received only four applications for issuance of online certificates to new buildings. “We have not stopped the manual or offline mode of accepting applications for fire safety certificates to buildings (apartments, commercial establishments and government offices). Many people are still unaware of the online service. We will launch awareness drives through advertisement,” another fire services official said.
The online service would enhance efficiency, improve transparency and help provide timely services to applicants. “This is a priority area of the government under 5-T initiatives that aim at bringing transformation in governance through parameters of technology, teamwork, transparency, timeframe and transformation),” the officer added.