Government of Punjab empanels Microsoft as a cloud service provider

Originally Published on Microsoft News Portal

• Government of Punjab empanels Microsoft as a cloud service provider
• To enable the state to deploy cloud technology for transformation in e-governance
• Land Records Information System and E-Sewa to move to Microsoft Azure platform

Punjab, January 29, 2019: The Department of Governance Reform, Punjab has entered into agreements for offering cloud services in the state. Microsoft is the first global cloud service provider to get empanelled for offering cloud services in the state of Punjab for a period of three years. The Department has empanelled four Microsoft partners, viz., Tata Communication Ltd, Embee Software Ltd, G7Cr Technologies Pvt Ltd, and SISL Infotech Pvt Ltd in its Cloud Services Directory, allowing government departments and agencies in Punjab to choose the Microsoft Cloud to advance their digital transformation, optimize IT operations, and transform communities.

Making government services available to citizens online is a key part of the state’s digital vision. Through Microsoft Azure, public sector organizations in Punjab can now draw on a wide range of deployment models and service offerings, including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service, Dev/Test, Virtual Desktop as a Service, and Managed Backup. The Microsoft Cloud provides industry-leading levels of security, privacy controls, compliance, and transparency for Indian government agencies to achieve higher efficiencies, with greater reliability and scalability.

Speaking on this, Sh. Parminder Pal Singh, PCS, Director of Governance Reforms, Punjab, said, “Our vision of a truly transformed Punjab is one where all the residents of the state benefit from the services offered by its government. We believe the next step of growth will be to move beyond just the Internet and leverage the power of the cloud. To ensure that, we have empanelled Microsoft & other CSPs as cloud service providers and will work on Microsoft’s cloud technology to provide transformational e-governance services and financial inclusion opportunities to lakhs across Punjab.”

Mr. Singh added that the state’s Land Records Information System and E-Sewa (previously called SUWIDHA – Single User-Friendly Windows Disposal & Helpline for applicants), will soon migrate onto the Azure platform. Microsoft technologies currently power several core e-Governance and critical projects in Punjab. The company has played a key role in the enhancement and efficient delivery of citizenship services, including the development of the E-District platform, SUWIDHA & the Grievance Management System. Additionally, Microsoft also supports the State Data Center of Punjab.

Manish Prakash, General Manager – Public Sector, Microsoft India, said “This is an extremely proud moment for Microsoft as we partner with the state of Punjab on its digital journey. Our commitment to Punjab goes back a long way and we believe with this accreditation, we are now well positioned to support the state in reshaping its governance and economic landscape and realize its digital vision.”

Microsoft is the only provider of services across all three clouds in the country – private, public, and hybrid cloud, and was the first global public cloud service provider to be accredited by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY). Its hyper-scale, flexible and secure local cloud services from three India datacenters in Pune, Mumbai and Chennai – Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365, and Office 365 – are already accelerating cloud innovation and opening new possibilities in e-governance and inclusive growth.

About Microsoft India

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Microsoft set up its India operations in 1990. Today, Microsoft entities in India have over 9,000 employees, engaged in sales and marketing, research, development and customer services and support, across 11 Indian cities – Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Microsoft offers its global cloud services from local datacenters to accelerate digital transformation across Indian start-ups, businesses, and government organizations. In 2016, Microsoft opened one of its eight Cybersecurity Engagement Centers in the country, to address security needs of both public and private sectors.