MELBOURNE, 11 June 2022: In a bid to improve its services and cut costs, the Sri Lankan Consulate here is implementing a new digital Consular Counter Management System. This “App” was launched to reduce operational expenses, falling in line with the government policy to reduce expenses, while delivering a better service.
The Sri Lankan Consulate General receives around 150 passport applications, 50 applications for birth registrations, 100 attestations, 100 dual citizenship applications, etc. per month, requiring a strenuous task by the small staff. Through this new system, applicants are able to obtain a prior appointment to visit the office and they are able to check the status of their applications on their own. It has drastically reduced the application processing time as most of the laborious manual record-keeping is now done away with, says a consulate media release.
The release says, “With the launch of this system, back-office processing and transmission of the applications, generating reports, and keeping applicants informed of the progress of their applications have become fast and efficient. Not only the applications submitted at the counter but those sent by post also are managed through this system.
Following the proper government procurement procedures, the Sri Lankan software developer “Loons Lab (Pvt) Ltd” was selected to develop this software application, making it the first of its kind application used in any of the Sri Lanka Missions abroad. Under the guidance of Consul General Kapila Fonseka, Consul Diana Perera led this initiative with the dedicated staff who made this difficult digital transformation possible.”
