Dubai Electricity and Water Authority to go paperless

Our Correspondent

DUBAI

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has disclosed that it will not purchase paper, which means it will refrain from using 8.5 million sheets of paper in 2020. This was in line with the Dubai Paperless Strategy, which aims to use advanced technology to build an integrated paperless government framework. The move is part of DEWA’s pioneering efforts in digital and smart transformation.

“We work in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the city of the future, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to transform the Government of Dubai into a fully digital government and build an integrated, paperless government framework. This is part of the Dubai Paperless Strategy, launched by His Highness to stop using paper in all internal and external transactions and with customers by December 2021,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO, DEWA.

“DEWA provides all its services through digital channels, which enables customers to complete their transactions anytime, anywhere. This saves time and effort as well as protects the environment and conserves natural resources,” he said.

In implementing the Dubai Paperless Strategy, DEWA has cut its paper usage by 82% in the large entities category in Dubai government. Smart adoption of DEWA’s services reached 96% by the end of May 2020.

DEWA adopts the latest solutions, technologies and applications to facilitate and accelerate the completion of procedures digitally without the need to use paper. The Smart Office app provides employees with 197 services including internal approvals, enabling employees to draft, document, and follow up on official documents to get necessary approvals through the Smart Document feature, among other features. Accessing the Smart Document through computers, tablets and smartphones, has avoided emissions of around 84 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Over 4,000 employees are currently using Smart Documents for automation of forms and their communication needs.