MANAMA: With more hi-tech features and compatibility with all smart devices, eGA Portal Plus has been launched as the first integrated portal in the GCC and Middle East region.
In a proactive step towards the integrated eGovernment concept, the Kingdom of Bahrain launched the Portal Plus most advanced and integrated eGovernment portal with more hi-tech features offering users maximum benefits to utilize an advanced network of services, applications, online platforms and information provided by the next-generation portal, in addition to other intelligence features of security, ease of access to services, and compatibility with all tablet devices, mobile and intelligent systems which enhanced usage.
The Portal Plus was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology during the official opening ceremony of Bahrain International eGovernment Forum 2014 at the Ritz -Carlton Hotel.
Minister of Transportation Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed has expressed his delight at the inauguration of the next generation eGA portal as the first national integrated portal in the Gulf and Middle East.
Portal Plus represents the beginning of a breakthrough into the future. It was launched after the completion of the comprehensive process of development and modernization stages of the former eGA portal to become the next generation portal.
“It has been designed to display the contents of the portal in a manner consistent with every type of fixed, mobile and tablet devices with no impact on the ease and consistency of the information and services presented, including refining the interface and design of the portal to become more intelligent in the speed of response to the needs of all segments by doubling its capacity by five-folds,” Minister Kamal bin Ahmed referring to the Portal Plus, said.
“The Portal Plus has been provided with a consolidated sophisticated search engine that uses a geographical positioning technology to speed-up processes, upgrade infrastructure systems and programmes. This was done to ensure the security of transactions, control and settlement of electronic payments between all governmental entities, and linking services to a single sign-in system via the electronic key to ensure easy and safe browsing, making it easier for us to provide services where the user can move from one service or ministry to another without having to log on again,” he added.
His Excellency added that the development was not limited to that, but included raising the readiness of delivery channels and linking them to the electronic communication channels to support community participation. This also included the updating of the e-Content, which involved the re-engineering of 24 eservices to maximize the available benefits on the developed portal.
This was done to improve the quality, richness and effectiveness of services and its full compatibility with mobile hardware systems.
It is also enhanced to benefit from re-using the services without the need to repeat the steps for logging-in or including documentary attachments. Such feature was achieved by creating an intelligent connectivity between government organizations and enhancing the opportunities for quality improvement of services across the instant assessment by customers.
The first version of the eGA portal has gone through several stages of development and has won numerous awards on the Arabic and regional level.
However, with the increase in the awareness of eServices in Bahrain and the effectiveness of the portal’s marketing services, the volume of users have increased and with it the need to enhance the payment services. Therefore, this development move came to meet the current needs and become in-line with future developments.
The development process has benefited from the most successful international experiences.