Digital turn: Thuringian counties are demanding funding for e-government!

Digital turn: Thuringian counties are demanding funding for e-government!

In Thuringia, something happens when it comes to digitization of the administration. The districts of Schmalkalden-Meiningen and Hildburghausen in particular rely on electronic solutions to modernize their processes and also increase civil friendliness. Insuedthueringen reported that the two districts have jointly applied for digitization. This is an initiative supported by the Thuringian E-Government Directive.

A major concern of this digital transformation is the increase in efficiency. In electronic communication between the authorities, one hopes to minimize the bureaucratic effort and to respond faster to the needs of citizens. The district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen had the first discussions with the responsible ministry at the end of 2023 to make the application. So it remains to be seen how quickly a decision is made about the funding application, since it has so far not been approved or rejected.

funding opportunities for municipalities

But where does the money for such digitization projects come from? The Thuringian E-Government Directive, which supports the introduction of a document management system and various electronic services, offers a solid basis. At the moment, the municipalities have the option of applying for up to 10 million euros annually for their digitization projects, such as the ABG . This financial support aims to create digital services for citizens and companies and to improve the administrative processes in Thuringia.

The revision of the funding guideline was closely carried out in cooperation with municipal managers and shows that the challenge of digitization is taken seriously. Applications are open to all Thuringian municipalities who want to implement digitization measures. These measures cover a wide range: from electronic files to online forms to common data centers. This would like to offer the citizens a better service and at the same time use the personnel capacities in the IT area of ​​the municipalities more efficiently.

The way to the digital future

What's next? In order to initiate an application course, municipalities must initially obtain approval for an early start of the project. Only then can you begin with the conclusion of performance contracts, which is an important prerequisite for the start of digitization. Responsible contact persons for the planning and application are available, for example Mr. Jan-Markus Schröter for project planning or the women Laura Künzel and Susanne Ebertz for everything related to medium-sized calls and uses.

Citizens appeal to many digital offers from their municipal authorities. From the city administration to the registry office to other departments - everywhere you can see urgent need for action. The implementation of these digitization projects should not only modernize the administration, but also enable the citizens more pleasant and efficient interaction with their offices.

In the end, digital transformation is a step in the right direction. It remains exciting how the development in Thuringia and especially in the districts of Schmalkalden-Meiningen and Hildburghausen develops. The next few months will show whether the funding will actually bring the desired thrust for the implementation.