5 Must-Have Tools For Every Government Agency and Organisation in India

Are you looking for better and seamless ways to improve productivity and accountability as a government agency?

You’ve come to the right place.

As accessibility to tech improved in India, systems were needed to keep government organisations and agencies secure and connected with the public.

In this article, you will find 5 tools the government of India uses daily in their offices. 

These tools help them solve problems within government organisations and keep them connected to the public. 

Let’s dive right in to explore more in this context.  

5 must-have tools for every government agency and organisation in India

If you work in a government office, your work is incomplete unless you service thousands of requests daily. 

Every government organisation should consider adding these five tools to their list.

Grptalk

If you had to talk to the entire public with an internet connection, you would think about the costs, coordinate their timings, and float links across multiple channels. 

Or you could save yourself the stress and use grptalk. 

grptalk is an audio conferencing tool that does not require the internet and connects over 10,000 people in less than 30 seconds.  

Once you have downloaded the device, you can select the contacts you need to connect with and hit “Quick Talk” for an immediate call or schedule a call. After this, you can download the recordings. 

You can also do broadcast calls where you can mute all the participants. You can create groups of people you connect to frequently, making it easier to address recurring conferencing needs.

This tool is ideal for government agencies and organisations that need to be continuously in touch, especially in areas where the internet is low or unavailable. You can access the tool via the web interface, giving it a unique edge. 

Read More: Best Conference Call Apps For Business

As a government agency or organisation, you can use grptalk to

• Set up calls among peers for quick discussions
• Set up broadcast calls to villages and remote areas
• Set up private group calls for departments within the organisation to enhance productivity. 

Government officials can use this tool to connect to remote officials in areas without internet connectivity. You can discuss policy matters and have short departmental meetings and conference calls. 

Government officials can also use it during elections to talk to constituents over long distances without traveling.

Features of grptalk

• You can Start an audio conference in as little as 30 seconds. All you need is a list of contacts pre-installed. 
• grptalk provides a call recording and report of every minute consumed.
• Works on mobiles and landlines without the need for internet connectivity

Pricing for grptalk 

The tool offers variable pricing based on the number of participants per call, the number of calls per month and the time you spend on each call. 

For example, you decide to have 3 participants per call, 4 calls per month for 15 minutes each. You will pay for 180 minutes (3x4x15). However, Grptalk also offers bonus minutes to its users.

 Ask for a custom quote on the pricing page.

BHIM

Gone was when you had to rush to the bank for cash to pay your suppliers and vendors. Today you are either using card money or going cashless. BHIM is a homegrown payment tool that facilitates sending and receiving money across banks in India.

BHIM links your SIM number to your bank account, making verification a breeze. 

Once you download the application, you need to choose your preferred language, verify your number and select the bank you want to link to the application. 

This application also helps you request money from other users and make cashless payments by scanning QR codes.

Ministries and banks favour digital payments in India over cash transactions primarily due to targets set by the government. 

To this end, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology launched multiple cashless initiatives- one of them being BHIM. 

Read Also: Grptalk vs Skype: Here’s All You Need to Know

Ministries can benefit from using this application to

• Make payments to vendors and suppliers using BHIM to avoid credit balances.
• Disburse salaries to their employees, especially contractual workers.
• Disbursing pensions to older people through BHIM so they don’t have to go through multiple approval cycles.

Features of BHIM

• Operates both with the internet and without it, allowing you to go cashless anywhere.
• Allows you to pay bills and book flight tickets.
• Make quick payments using QR codes or mobile phone numbers. 

Pricing for BHIM

The tool is free and available on Google Play and Apple Store.

 BOSS

The following software on the list may not be classified as an application, but it is a tool of ease. 

Suppose you have worked on Linux Debian and are familiar with the interface. In that case, you will have no problems getting the hang of Bharat Operating System Solution (BOSS). 

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) distributes BOSS to enhance the use of open-source software across the country.

You can download the software from the website and install it by following the instructions in the accompanying user guide and the installer software. Once the software gets installed, log in and start working immediately. You can manage your files and folders, view your email and install BOSS-compatible software.

The government can use it to

• Steer clear of vulnerabilities in cyberspace.
• Provide its people with a system they don’t have to worry about upgrading when working. 
• Cut down operational costs related to IT in the departments. 

BOSS has a server variation and a variation for educational purposes. The software is currently implemented across multiple government organisations in India, including government schools.

With digitalisation on the rise in India, it is essential to have a system that helps create a solid infrastructure. Government organisations can store their digital records on BOSS servers and communicate with other government organisations without the fear of getting hacked. 

Also read: How to Make Audio Conference Calls on Your Android or iPhone

Features of BOSS 

• The software is open-source, meaning it will continue evolving and is readily available without a fee.
• Available in all regional languages of India.
• The software can run on any PC specification and does not require upgrading PCs just to run a new version.

Pricing for BOSS

BOSS is open source and downloaded as per your specifications without a fee.

Biometric Attendance System (BAS)

When last did you sign a ledger with a pen to mark your attendance? These days it’s all about scanning your fingerprint on high-tech machines. 

In 2014, the Indian initiative of a Biometric Attendance System for government offices started. Since then, it has seen many highs and lows. Accepted mainly by government officials, the implementation has shown great promise for regularising the human resource function in government agencies.

The system is online, so you don’t need to download applications to register. 

Make sure you use the URL related to your government organisation or department and log in. Register yourself as an employee and, in the employee, information to update the central database. 

Once you do so, you can scan your fingerprint from the biometric system installed on the premises by entering the Employee/Attendance ID assigned to you.

This is the easiest way to manage employee count in any organisation. For government organisations, it makes it easy to

• Transfer employees from one government agency to another without worrying about the paperwork
• Manage employee leaves
• Manage various departments within an organisation from a single window.

The tool is under implementation across multiple departments, and its use has become indispensable. Governments can install a fingerprint, iris and facial recognition system to enhance the system’s security features further. 

Source

Features of Biometric Attendance System

• Connectivity to the servers allows efficient clock-in and clock-out readings.
• Access control restricts non-authorised personnel from accessing government buildings and properties.
• Integration into the payroll system allows the HR team to compute salaries efficiently.

Also read: Conference Call Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make

Pricing for biometric attendance system

The Biometric Attendance System (BAS) used by the Indian government is a homegrown tool and is free of charge.

Zoho Meeting

While some organisations worldwide prefer using conventional tools to conduct online meetings, Zoho Meeting emerges as one of the top contenders in video conferencing tools for groups.

Zoho Meeting is a web-based tool that allows you to host and attend meetings without downloading any third-party software. You can conduct online meetings, audio and video conference calls and webinars.

Government agencies can use it for

• Daily meetings and catch-up calls with employees in and outside the office.
• Meetings with vendors and suppliers across India
• Webcasting government announcements to essential stakeholders.

Zoho Meetings has multiple plans you can subscribe to based on the agency’s needs.

For example, suppose an agency has less than 100 employees and their meetings last less than 60 minutes. In that case, the organisation can use the free version virtually forever. 

However, the organisation can subscribe to any paid plan if the meetings need to be recorded and locked.

Source

Features of Zoho Meetings 

• Moderator controls help keep meetings moving in the right direction.
• Customizable registration forms give your organisation more exposure.
• A whiteboard to collaborate on ideas.

You should also read:

• Should You Choose a Free Conference Call App Over a Paid One?
• 10 Best Conference Call Apps For Business
• Mobile Conference Calls Guide For Dummies/Beginners

Pricing for Zoho Meetings

Zoho offers three pricing plans.

The Free plan allows 100 meeting participants/webinar attendees. You can share files, show reactions and have multiple video layouts without downloads.

The paid plan has two variations, Meeting and Webinar, and they offer a free trial period of 14 days.

Make the best decision for your organisation

Now that you know what tools to use to enhance productivity and proper accountability, we hope you make the right choice.

Owing to the nature of work in a government department, most officials do not have the luxury of relying only on internet connectivity. 

This is why grptalk is an ideal tool for communication. It helps you stay connected with over 10,000+ people, with or without internet connectivity.

grptalk is indispensable for every government official who is constantly moving and must report back to their office during work hours.

You can try grptalk free or book a firsthand demo to test the software.