NIC Odisha Wins National Award for Digital Initiative Empowering Rural Connectivity and MSME Services

Bhubaneswar: The National Informatics Centre (NIC), Odisha has been honoured with the “Digital Initiative for Ensuring Rural Connectivity and Digital Services Award” for its Directorate of Export Promotion and Marketing Online Services (DEPMOS) project, marking a significant recognition of the State’s efforts in advancing digital governance.

The award was presented at the 6th Digital Transformation Summit and Awards held at Hotel EROS, Nehru Palace, New Delhi. The honour was received by Mohammed Mojibullah Khan, Director (IT), Shri Sudhansu Kumar Mahapatra, Deputy Director (IT) of NIC Odisha, and Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Director, Export Promotion & Marketing (EP&M), Odisha.

DEPMOS is a flagship e-Governance initiative of the Government of Odisha, conceptualised, developed and implemented by NIC to digitise and streamline services of the Directorate of Export Promotion and Marketing (DEPM) under the MSME Department. The platform was designed to bring efficiency, accessibility and transparency to key government services linked to export promotion and marketing.

The project plays a crucial role in supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by automating critical processes such as enterprise registration, rate contracts and inspections. By moving these services online, DEPMOS has significantly reduced turnaround time, improved ease of access—particularly for enterprises in rural and remote areas—and strengthened transparency in government procurement and marketing mechanisms.

Officials said the national recognition reflects NIC Odisha’s commitment to leveraging technology for inclusive growth and responsive governance. The DEPMOS initiative has emerged as a strong digital backbone for MSMEs in Odisha, enabling smoother interaction with government systems while promoting efficiency and accountability in service delivery.