Six months on, some Chennai Corporation Councillors find it tough to operate tablets insidelooknews

Nearly six months after receiving tablets, some Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Councillors still struggle to use them effectively to raise citizen grievances.

While representatives of residents’ welfare associations and the public appreciate the initiative, they suggest that the Councillors be trained in using the gadgets efficiently.

The tablets, bought at an estimated cost of ₹1 crore, were distributed in October 2024 to all Councillors as they provided more space for documents and applications, allowing users to handle excel sheets. Some Councillors said they either gave the gadgets to their assistants or to their children or spouses, or just left them at home, as they found it uncomfortable to use them.

T.K. Shanmugam, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Association, who welcomed the initiative to distribute the tablets, said not all Councillors had personnel on their teams who were adept at operating the devices.

C. Ramakrishnan, Secretary of the Federation of Adyar Residents’ Association (FEDARA), said optimal use of the tablets would ensure transparency in expenditure of ward development funds and progress in projects, and help Councillors engage more with the community.

Ward 4 Councillor R. Jayaraman proposed that the monthly council meeting agenda be sent digitally and that tablets be used instead of paper trails.

However, there are also Councillors who put these gadgets to good use. Ward 61 Councillor Fathima Muzaffer, who is one of them, said she was using her mobile phone only to make or take calls. “All other official functions – such as addressing grievances, and tracking on-going projects – are carried out on the tablet. I do it personally since that is part of my job,” she added.

Ward 3 Councillor B. Tamilarasan said he and his assistant recorded the areas’ ongoing projects, upcoming initiatives, tenders floated for projects, work orders, long-term issues and complaints in the tablet, besides using it to note down issues during inspections.

A senior GCC official said that the civic body had planned to send the agenda of the Council meetings digitally soon, and would organise a training session in May.