Launching an IT initiative to transform Commercial Taxes Department (CTD) into a 24-hour service centre, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today exhorted public departments to adopt e-governance practices for increasing efficiency and transparency in the state.

The new Rs 20 crore facility of Integrated and Automated IT Module will serve as a two way interaction Web-based facility for high transactions round the clock, helping traders and bring greater transparency in financial transactions.

The CTD portal will offer tax payers single-window delivery platform by providing them electronic services for registration, returns, payments, CST forms and Check posts.

Abdullah said there was a need for universalising e-governance by bringing more public service departments under the ambit of similar initiatives.

He asked departments like Power, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), Roads and Buildings, Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Irrigation to follow suit and be among the front-runners in adopting e-governance.

He said the CTD initiative is yet another innovative move by his government, following Sher-e-Kashmir Employment Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY) -- third party monitoring of development projects by two central agencies and tariff based bidding for 690 MWs Ratle Power Project.

"I would apprise the Planning Commission about this initiative and the similar other measures in the pipeline to bring more transparency in the official functioning and financial transactions during the next plan discussions", Abdullah said.

He appreciated the partnership of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the project and expressed hope that the bank would extend its cooperation for similar projects.

He said the Kidmat Centres of Jammu and Kashmir Bank across the state would be utilised by small traders to get advantage of the new CTD portal, as it will help widen the tax net and enhance collections.

"Instead of increasing the taxes and putting trading community under heavy thrust, it is better to widen the reach of CTD and register more and more tax payers", he said.

"In fact the new web portal of CTD indicates the futuristic plan of the government in the field of e-governance", he said.