×

ICTGC Reviews Budget for ICT Projects worth BD9 million

  • article
30 Sep 2019

The Information and Communication Technology Governance Committee (ICTGC) held its 29th meeting, chaired by Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) Chief Executive, Mohamed Ali AlQaed, and attended by several Committee members representing different government entities. The periodic meetings are aimed at unifying ICT standards throughout the government’s various entities and supporting national initiatives.

During the meeting, the Committee reviewed Ministerial Committee decisions and other relevant initiatives, and discussed the progress of various projects including decisions adopted during previous meetings.

Discussed were a number of strategic government ICT projects totaling more than BD 9 million in budget. The most important of these included iGA’s national appointment booking system for government service centers, the Ministry of Finance’s budget esystem project, improvements to the Tender Board’s eTendering System, and other projects the Committee is looking to implement at the lowest possible cost in accordance with the policies, standards and best practices of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s ICT sector.

The Committee also discussed the implementation of decisions taken by the Ministerial Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs and Fiscal Balance, including initiatives to improve government efficiency and optimize operating expenditure. The most important of these include the development of a policy for the purchase and use of printing devices and technical standards for the purchase of computers. The aim is to reduce printing paper costs by reducing the number of devices, papers, and consumables in use, as well as creating "green environments" at the workplaces of government entities, and enhancing the privacy and confidentiality of government data and information.

ICTGC was established in 2011 through a resolution issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Information and Communication Technology. The Committee is responsible for setting standards for optimal and efficient use of ICT projects by government entities, reviewing project strategies and costs, and working with ministries and government institutions to improve IT competence. The committee also follows up on all the tasks assigned to it by the Higher Committee for Information and Communication Technology.