A Rs 57-crore data centre designed to meet e-governance requirements of the Karnataka government for the next decade was set up in Bangalore on Thursday.

The centre will offer latest technologies including virtualisation and provide the servers on demand to various department of the government to facilitate e-initiatives.

The centre will host e-governance initiatives such as UID, Registration Department, Transport Department, Municipal Administration, e-procurement. It is being maintained by Tata Consultancy Service.

Speaking on the occasion, S P Singh, Director, Union Ministry of IT lauded the e-initiatives of Karnataka government and the effective implementation of the programmes in the state. He said Karnataka could prove to be torch bearer for other other states to follow suit.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said that the implementation of the e-governance programme had helped in speedy implementation of government projects.

He said the UID programme which was launched in Karnataka has so far seen enrolment of 4.5 million people.

Karnataka was leading in the country as far as e-governace was concerned, he said.

There were also plans to connect prisons in the state to courts to facilitate justice delivery system and to reduce the transporting of undertrials to and fro, an official said.