e-Governance: Efficiency and Challenges in India

Prepared by Mahindra Special Services Group 19-Jan-10

ElectronicGovernance:WhitePaper
DefinitionandObjectivesofeGovernance
ElectronicGovernance(eGovernance)istheapplicationofinformation&communicationtechnologiesto transform the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of informational & transactional exchangeswithingovernment,betweengovt.&govt.agenciesofNational,State,Municipal&Locallevels, citizen&businesses,andtoempowercitizensthroughaccess&useofinformation1 eGovernanceistheapplicationofInformationTechnologytotheGovernmentfunctioninginordertobring aboutSimple,Moral,Accountable,ResponsiveandTransparent(SMART)Governance. eGovernance is a highly complex process requiring provision of hardware, software, networking and re engineeringoftheproceduresfor: Improving effectiveness and efficiency of delivery of services by using the information and communicationtechnologies(ICT)likeinternet,mobile,etc.; Increasing the accountability and transparency in informational and transactional exchanges between various sources (e.g. Government agencies, etc.) and users (e.g. Public, etc.) of informationandtransactions; Empoweringthepublicwitheasy,speedy,costefficientandrealtimeinformationaccesssoasto increasecitizenparticipationinthedemocraticprocess Curbing the misuse / unauthorized use of information and transactions by filling in the gaps of availability,accessandcommunicationofinformation ThuseGovernanceismorethanjustaGovernmentwebsiteontheinternet.Political,social,economicand technologicalaspectsdeterminethescopeandsuccessofexistenceofeGovernance.Itmayincludeabroad rangeofservicesformanysegmentsofsociety.ThemostcommonareasofeGovernanceapplicationare electronic commerce and business regulations, taxation and revenue, law enforcement and courts, education,healthandtransport.

ComponentsofeGovernanceandrequirementsforsuchcomponents
Thereisageneralconsensusbetweengovernmentandprivatesectorofficialsonthemaincomponentsof eGovernance: GovernmenttoGovernmentcommunication(G2G); GovernmenttoBusinesscommunication(G2B)and GovernmenttoCitizenscommunication(G2C) KeyrequirementsforeGovernancecomponentscanbebroadlyclassifiedinto: Highlyefficient,UserfriendlyandCosteconomicalInfrastructure; Extensivehumancapacitydevelopment; Legal,AdministrativeandPoliticalframeworktosupportICTenvironmentand Holisticapproachandsustainedeffortsinimplementationandmaintenance withinGovernmentagencies,BusinesscommunitiesandCitizens

Sourcewww.eivc.org 2

EvolutionofeGovernancetechnologies
The global shift towards increased deployment of IT by governments took place in the nineties, with the adventoftheWorldWideWeb.AmidanincreaseinInternetandmobilephoneconnections,globalcitizens started expecting and accessing more and more information and services online from governments and corporateorganizationstofurthertheircivic,professionalandpersonallives.Thisdevelopmentprovidesus withabundantevidenceofanewecitizenship. The concept of egovernance originated in India during the seventies with a focus on development of in housegovernmentapplicationsintheareasofdefense,economicmonitoringandplanning.Thedeployment ofITwasaimedtomanagedataintensivefunctionsrelatedtoelections,census,taxadministrationetc.The effortsoftheNationalInformaticsCenter(NIC)toconnectallthedistrictheadquartersduringtheeighties was a very significant development. Early nineties onwards, IT technologies were supplemented by ICT technologiestoextenditsuseforwidersectoralapplicationswithpolicyemphasisonreachingouttorural areasandtakingingreaterinputsfromNGOsandprivatesector.

PresentScenarioofeGovernanceinIndia
TheeGovernancescenarioinIndiahascomealongwaysinceitsorigin.Alargenumberofinitiativeshave been taken by the Union and the State Governments that initiatives can be broadly classified into the followingcategories: ComputerisationofLandrecordsandtheironlinedelivery e.g.ProjectBhoomiimplementedinKarnatakaandProjectCARDimplementedinAndhraPradesh Onlineregistration,disposalandmonitoringofpublicgrievances e.g. ProjectSETUimplementedinMaharashtraandProjectGramsamparkimplementedinMadhya Pradesh Onlineavailabilityofinformationonadministrativeproceduresandforms e.g.ProjectSTAMPSimplementedinMaharashtraandProjectWebCITIimplementedinPunjab Providingessential,importantandusefulinformationofpublicinterest e.g. Project Gyandoot implemented in Madhya Pradesh and Project JAN MITRA implemented in Rajasthan Onlinefacilitytopayallstatutoryduesandtaxesaswellasutilitypayments e.g.ProjectFRIENDSimplementedinKeralaandProjectMUDRAimplementedinBihar Onlinefacilitytomakeapplicationsandavailvarioustypesofservices e.g. ProjectVidyaVahiniimplementedatnationallevelandProjectFASTimplementedinAndhra Pradesh Facilitatingallprocurementsbyonlinetendersandevaluationofbids e.g. ProjectLokMitraimplementedinHimachalPradeshandProjectMahitiShaktiimplementedin Gujarat Providingeasyandsecureonlineaccesstoregistry/compliancerelatedservices e.g.ProjectMCA21implementedatnationallevel EverystategovernmenthastakentheinitiativetoformanITtaskforcetooutlineITpolicydocumentforthe stateandthecitizenchartershavestartedappearingongovernmentwebsites.

ChallengesinimplementingeGovernance
Avastgeographicallandscape,Indiacomprisesof36stateswithpopulationofoveronebillion.Outofthis population, around 60 percent live in rural areas and rest in semi urban and urban areas. Literacy and language are immense challenges, in a multicultural and multilingual country. Following are the major challenges in implementation of eGovernance, because of which the speed of implementation of e GovernanceinitiativesinIndiaisveryslow.ThishasnegativelyaffectedtheuseofeGovernance: Lackofsufficientandproperplanning LeadershipfailuresresultinginslowandpatchyprogressofeGovernanceinitiatives FinancialinhibitorslimitingtheflowofinvestmenttoeGovernanceprojects Digital divides and choices, where socioeconomic and physical inequalities lead to differences in motivations and competences that constrain and fragment eGovernance takeup and fail to addressparticularuserneeds. Poor coordination across jurisdictional, administrative and geographic boundaries and lack of propercoordinationofbetweengovernmentmachineriesandsolutionsdevelopersthatholdsback eGovernancenetworkingbenefits. Workplace and organizational inflexibility impairing adaptability to new networked forms of informationsharingandserviceprovision. Lack of trust heightening fears about inadequate security and privacy safeguards in electronic networks. Poor technical design leading to incompatibilities between ICT systems or difficulttouse e Governanceservices LackofITliteracyandawarenessregardingbenefitsofeGovernance UnderutilizationofexistingICTinfrastructureandlackofinfrastructureforsustainingeGovernance projectsonnationallevel

Strategies/ActionplanforachievementofeGovernanceobjectives
GovernmentleadersinIndiaarestartingtorealizethategovernanceisthekeytodrivetodayseconomy with an increased citizen participation. Providing services online is no longer going to remain optional for local and central government as demand for providing services at internet speed from the citizens has increasedintherecentyears. How do government agencies overcome the obstacles and build a strategy to facilitate the transition to successful online or e service delivery. If the government waits, it is perceived as being ignorant or unawareofthecitizenneedsandlosesanopportunitytorealizethetremendousbenefitsofonlineservice deliveryandlargercitizenparticipationinoverallservicedelivery.However,iftheegovernanceprojectsare startedandimplementedinhaste,theyaredoomedtofail.

Conclusion
Followingaresomeofthestrategies/actionplansforasuccessfulimplementationofaneGovernance systemforonebillionpeopleofIndia: Createliteracy/awarenessandcommitmenttoeGovernanceathighlevel ConductusabilitysurveysforassessmentofexistingeGovernanceprojectsandactupontheresults ofsuchassessment,whereverrequired Startwiththeimplementationofpilotprojectsandreplicatethesuccessfulones FollowthebestpracticesineGovernance BuildnationwideResourcedatabaseforeGovernanceprojects 4

Haveclearlydefinedobjectivesandinteroperabilitypoliciestoachievesuchobjectives Effectivelymanageandcontinuouslyupdatethecontentefficientlyandregularly

Author: 1. Mr Hemant Mistry

Head - Finance & Accounts Mahindra Special Services Group Tel.: +91-22-24916862 Email id: hemant.mistry@mahindrassg.com