Source: https://www.licindia.in/Top-Links/About-Us/Information-Technology-And-LIC
Information Technology And LIC
LIC has been one of the pioneering organizations in India who introduced the leverage of Information Technology in servicing and in their business. Data pertaining to almost 10 crore policies is being held on computers in LIC. We have gone in for relevant and appropriate technology over the years.
1964 saw the introduction of computers in LIC. Unit Record Machines introduced in late 1950’s were phased out in 1980’s and replaced by Microprocessors based computers in Branch and Divisional Offices for Back Office Computerization. Standardization of Hardware and Software commenced in 1990’s. Standard Computer Packages were developed and implemented for Ordinary and Salary Savings Scheme (SSS) Policies.
FRONT END OPERATIONS
With a view to enhancing customer responsiveness and services , in July 1995, LIC started a drive of On Line Service to Policyholders and Agents through Computer. This on line service enabled policyholders to receive immediate policy status report , prompt acceptance of their premium and get Revival Quotation, Loan Quotation on demand. Incorporating change of address can be done on line. Quicker completion of proposals and dispatch of policy documents have become a reality. All our 2048 branches across the country have been covered under front-end operations. Thus all our 100 divisional offices have achieved the distinction of 100% branch computerisation. New payment related Modules pertaining to both ordinary & SSS policies have been added to the Front End Package catering to Loan, Claims and Development Officers’ Appraisal. All these modules help to reduce time-lag and ensure accuracy.
METRO AREA NETWORK
A Metropolitan Area Network, connecting 74 branches in Mumbai was commissioned in November, 1997, enabling policyholders in Mumbai to pay their Premium or get their Status Report, Surrender Value Quotation, Loan Quotation etc. from ANY Branch in the city. The System has been working successfully. More than 10,000 transactions are carried out over this Network on any given working day. Such Networks have been implemented in other cities also.
WIDE AREA NETWORK
All 7 Zonal Offices and all the MAN centres are connected through a Wide Area Network (WAN). This will enable a customer to view his policy data and pay premium from any branch of any MAN city. As at November 2005, we have 91 centers in India with more than 2035 branches networked under WAN.
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Dear friends,
Despite being so tech-savvy and constant (read daily), connection and communication between all the offices of the Corporation, L.I.C of India failed to give me answers to my basic questions regarding number of employees whose arrears' payments have been repudiated, their details, the amounts repudiated, individually and totally; questions put forth by me through my RTI appeal!
I insisted before the Information Commissioner (I.C.) that all my questions can be answered by the Corporation as all the details are maintained and updated in their Central Server.
Having been an Assistant Administrative Officer (A.A.O) myself, I very well know how records are updated daily.
Yet, the Corporation's officials said that they don't have all the information asked for by me and that I should approach each and every branch for getting the details! The IC too repeated their statement and asked me to write letters to them. When I pointed out that the Corporation's officials were being evasive as they didn't want to reveal details, the IC told me that the CPIO of the Corporation is not a postman to go and get my details from each and every office and that I must only approach the offices for details.
Horror of horrors, the CPIO's replies stated that the information asked by me is not needed to be maintained as it is not necessary for their day to day functioning and is not a record! I pointed it out to the IC that even a small kirana (grocery) shop owner maintains all records of his employees, so how could the Corporation not do so?
I wonder whether the IC understood what a humongous and needless task it would be, if I had to approach all the 2035 branches of the Corporation, or even the 7 Zonal offices! Getting answers from only the Western Zone took me four years! I pointed it out that all the CPIO has to do is click a button on his own office computer.
Besides, I had spent lots of money on postage, photocopying and traveling to and from post-offices, LIC's offices and the National Informatics Center; not to mention the mental harassment and tension that severely took a toll on my health!
As I again reminded the IC in the final hearing of my Second Appeal, there is absolutely no need for the CPIO to go anywhere, when all the information that I have asked for is available in the Central Server of the Corporation. (Interestingly, the Western Zonal Office and the Central Office of the Corporation and located in the same building in Mumbai.)
But of course, if there is no will how can there ever be a way?
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Just some days ago, there was a fire at a Branch office of the Corporation in Aurangabad, and the officials proudly informed the media that all the data of the policy-holders was safe as they are stored in the Central Server of L.I.C of India.
My take is, so are employee details stored in the same server! So why couldn't the Corporation share the details as asked for, by me?
L.I.C of India clearly has lots to hide! Revealing the data that I had asked for would have thrown open its 'Pandora's Box'! Crores of unaccounted for and unpaid arrears since August 1997! Have these arrears at least been calculated? If so, does the Balance Sheet show them as Liabilities? If they have not been shown as liabilities why was it so? Why does the Corporation blatantly flout the Supreme Court's mandate on the issue of arrears' payments? Only L.I.C. can answer!
The CPIO of the Western Zonal Office even boasted to me that LIC would never give me the details as it didn't want to open the proverbial Pandora's Box! In his opinion, asking for information from the Corporation is like banging my head against a brick wall. He point-blank asked me to approach the Courts for my legally rightful dues.
It's downright shameful that the Government of India even thinks about announcing an IPO for such an organization which systematically and regularly deprives its resigning ex-employees of their hard-earned, legally rightful dues, despite a Supreme Court judgment that stipulates payment!
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When L.I.C of India. a huge public sector behemoth, is not transparent in its replies, has faulty accounting practices, doesn't respect its own employees, acts with impunity and without integrity; will it respect its shareholders and other stakeholders? Will their money be safe? This is the question that all the prospective investors must ask the Managing Board of Directors of L.I.C of India and the Government of India.
