Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) will provide e-contract facility for securing new projects by the end of the year, the company said today.

The Mini Ratna company has already entered into e-service (or electronic service) for offering various services and procuring new tenders through online, an NLC spokesperson said.

"For providing this e-contract facility, we are in talks with Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. They are providing the software and we hope it will be introduced later this year", he said.

The objective of the move was to improve efficiency and bring in more transparency in NLC's day-to-day operations, the official said.

At a recent function to inaugurate the Tamil Nadu Vigilance Study Circle NLC Chairman N R Ansari said they would offer the e-contract service later this year. "It will mainly help increase production and improve efficiency", he had said.