E-Governance

2.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................... 26

2.2 E-GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................................. 26
2.2.1 Benefits of e-governance ................................................................................................. 26
2.2.2 Evlolution of e-governance in India ................................................................................ 28
2.3AIM OF E-GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................... 30
2.4 STAGES OF E-GOVERNANCE ........................................................................................... 30
2.5 MODELS OF E-GOVERNANCE .......................................................................................... 30
2.5.1 Broadcasting Model ......................................................................................................... 31
2.5.2 Comparative Analysis Model .......................................................................................... 32
2.5.3 Critical Flow Model ......................................................................................................... 34
2.5.4 E-Advocacy Model .......................................................................................................... 35
2.5.5 Interactive Service Model ................................................................................................ 37
2.6 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR FACILITATING ICT IN E-GOVERNANCE
....................................................................................................................................................... 38
2.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF E-GOVERNANCE .............................................................................. 39
2.8 CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF E-GOVERENCE ................................ 41
2.9 EVOLUTION IN E-GOVERNANCE AND MATURITY MODELS ................................... 43
2.9.1 Difference between E-Government and E-Governance .................................................. 43
2.9.2 Levels of E-Governance .................................................................................................. 44
2.9.2 e-Governance maturity model.......................................................................................... 45
2.10 DIGITAL INDIA PROGRAM ............................................................................................. 48
2.10.1 Services .......................................................................................................................... 48
2.11 TOWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE THROUGH E-GOVERNANCE MODELS ........... 49
2.12 SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................... 49
2.13 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS ............................................................................................... 50
2.14 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS ..................................................................... 50
2.15 MODEL QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................... 50
3.1LEARNING OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................... 52
3.2 STAGES IN E-GOVERNANCE ............................................................................................ 52
3.3 E-READINESS ....................................................................................................................... 53
3.3.1 Is the Technology Infrastructure Ready? ......................................................................... 53
 3.3.2 Is the Legal Infrastructure Ready? ................................................................................... 53
3.3.3 Is the Institutional Infrastructure Ready? ......................................................................... 53
3.3.4 Is the Human Infrastructure Ready? ................................................................................ 53
3.3.5 Is the Technology framework Ready? ............................................................................. 53
3.3.6 Is the Leadership and Strategic Thinking Ready? ........................................................... 54
3.4 BENEFITS OF E-GOVERNANCE ....................................................................................... 54
3.5 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 56
3.6 MODEL QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................... 57
UNIT II: MODELS OF E-GOVERNANCE
2.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
• Define E-Governance.
• Understand the goals of e-governance.
• Know the benefits of e-governance.
• Understand the different stages of e-governance.
• Differentiate between various models of e-governance.
• Understand legal and policy framework for facilitating ICT in e-governance.  Understand e-
governance maturity models.

2.2 E-GOVERNANCE
Electronic governance1 or e-governance is the application of information and communication
technology (ICT) for delivering government services, exchange of information communication
transactions, integration of various stand-alone systems and services between government-tocustomer
(G2C), government-to-business (G2B), government-to-government (G2G) as well as back office
processes and interactions within the entire government framework. Through egovernance,
government services are made available to citizens in a convenient, efficient and transparent manner.
The three main target groups that can be distinguished in governance concepts are government,
citizens and businesses/interest groups. In e-governance there are no distinct boundaries.
The goals of e-Governance are2:
a. Better service delivery to citizens
b. Ushering in transparency and accountability
c. Empowering people through information
d. Improved efficiency within Governments
e. Improve interface with business and industry.

2.2.1 Benefits of e-governance

E-Governance is about reform in governance, facilitated by the creative use of Information and
Communications Technology. It is expected that this would lead to:
i. Better access to information and quality services for citizens: ICT would make available
timely and reliable information on various aspects of governance. In the initial phase,
information would be made available with respect to simple aspects of governance such as
forms, laws, rules, procedures etc later extending to detailed information including reports
(including performance reports), public database, decision making processes etc. As regards
services, there would be an immediate impact in terms of savings in time, effort and money,
resulting from online and one-point accessibility of public services backed up by automation
of back end processes. The ultimate objective of e-Governance is to reach out to citizens by

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-governance
2 http://arc.gov.in/11threp/ARC_11thReport_preface_contents.pdf
 adopting a life-cycle approach i.e. providing public services to citizens which would be
required right from birth to death.
ii. Simplicity, efficiency and accountability in the government: Application of ICT to
governance combined with detailed business process reengineering would lead to
simplification of complicated processes, weeding out of redundant processes, simplification in
structures and changes in statutes and regulations. The end result would be simplification of
the functioning of government, enhanced decision making abilities and increased efficiency
across government – all contributing to an overall environment of a more accountable
government machinery. This, in turn, would result in enhanced productivity and efficiency in
all sectors.
iii. Expanded reach of governance: Rapid growth of communications technology and its
adoption in governance would help in bringing government machinery to the doorsteps of the
citizens. Expansion of telephone network, rapid strides in mobile telephony, spread of internet
and strengthening of other communications infrastructure would facilitate delivery of a large
number of services provided by the government. This enhancement of the reach of government
– both spatial and demographic – would also enable better participation of citizens in the
process of governance.
Generally four type of communication in e-governance:
a. G2G (Government to Government)– In this case, Information and Communications
Technology is used not only to restructure the governmental processes involved in the
functioning of government entities but also to increase the flow of information and services
within and between different entities. This kind of interaction is only within the sphere of
government and can be both horizontal i.e. between different government agencies as well as
between different functional areas within an organisation, or vertical i.e. between national,
provincial and local government agencies as well as between different levels within an
organisation. The primary objective is to increase efficiency, performance and output.
b. G2C (Government to Citizens) – In this case, an interface is created between the government
and citizens which enables the citizens to benefit from efficient delivery of a large range of
public services. This expands the availability and accessibility of public services on the one
hand and improves the quality of services on the other. It gives citizens the choice of when to
interact with the government (e.g. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), from where to interact with
the government (e.g. service centre, unattended kiosk or from one‘s home/workplace) and how
to interact with the government (e.g. through internet, fax, telephone, email, face-to-face, etc).
The primary purpose is to make government, citizen-friendly.
c. G2B (Government to Business) – Here, e-Governance tools are used to aid the business
community – providers of goods and services – to seamlessly interact with the government.
The objective is to cut red tape, save time, reduce operational costs and to create a more
transparent business environment when dealing with the government. The G2B initiatives can
be transactional, such as in licensing, permits, procurement and revenue collection. They can
also be promotional and facilitative, such as in trade, tourism and investment. These measures
help to provide a congenial environment to businesses to enable them to perform more
efficiently.
d. G2E (Government to Employees) – Government is by far the biggest employer and like any
organisation, it has to interact with its employees on a regular basis. This interaction is a two-
 way process between the organisation and the employee. Use of ICT tools helps in making
these interactions fast and efficient on the one hand and increase satisfaction levels of
employees on the other.

2.2.2 Evlolution of e-governance in India

Recognising the increasing importance of electronics, the Government of India established the
Department of Electronics in 1970. The subsequent establishment of the National Informatics Centre
(NIC) in 1977 was the first major step towards e-Governance in India as it brought ‗information‘ and
its communication in focus. In the early 1980s, use of computers was confined to very few
organizations. The advent of personal computers brought the storage, retrieval and processing
capacities of computers to Government offices. By the late 1980s, a large number of government
officers had computers but they were mostly used for ‗word processing‘. Gradually, with the
introduction of better softwares, computers were put to other uses like managing databases and
processing information. Advances in communications technology further improved the versatility and
reach of computers, and many Government departments started using ICT for a number of applications
like tracking movement of papers and files, monitoring of development programmes, processing of
employees‘ pay rolls, generation of reports etc. However, the main thrust for e-Governance was
provided by the launching of NICNET in 1987 – the national satellite-based computer network. This
was followed by the launch of the District Information System of the National Informatics Centre
(DISNIC) programme to computerize all district offices in the country for which free hardware and
software was offered to the State Governments. NICNET was extended via the State capitals to all
district headquarters by 1990. In the ensuing years, with ongoing computerization, teleconnectivity
and internet connectivity, came a large number of e-Governance initiatives, both at the Union and State
levels. A National Task Force on Information Technology and Software Development was constituted
in May 1998. While recognizing Information Technology as a frontier area of knowledge per se, it
focused on utilizing it as an enabling tool for assimilating and processing all other spheres of
knowledge. It recommended the launching of an ‗Operation Knowledge‘ aimed at universalizing
computer literacy and spreading the use of computers and IT in education. In 1999, the Union Ministry
of Information Technology was created. By 2000, a 12-point minimum agenda for eGovernance was
identified by Government of India for implementation in all the Union Government
Ministries/Departments. The agenda undertaken included the following action points:
i. Each Ministry/Department must provide PCs with necessary software up to the Section Officer
level. In addition, Local Area Network (LAN) must also be set up. ii. It should be ensured that all
staff who have access to and need to use computer for their office work are provided with adequate
training. To facilitate this, inter alia, Ministries/Departments should set up their own or share
other‘s Learning Centres for decentralized training in computers as per the guidelines issued by the
MIT.
iii. Each Ministry/Department should start using the Office Procedure Automation software
developed by NIC with a view to keeping a record of receipt of dak, issue of letters, as well
as movement of files in the department.
iv. Pay roll accounting and other house-keeping software should be put to use in day-today
operations.
v. Notices for internal meetings should be sent by e-mail. Similarly, submission of
applications for leave and for going on tour should also be done electronically.
 Ministries/Departments should also set up online notice board to display orders, circulars
etc. as and when issued.
vi. Ministries/Departments should use the web-enabled Grievance Redressal Software
developed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
vii. Each Ministry/Department should have its own website.
viii. All Acts, Rules, Circulars must be converted into electronic form and, along with other
published material of interest or relevance to the public, should be made available on the
internet and be accessible from the Information and Facilitation Counter.
ix. The websites of Ministries/Departments/Organisations should specifically contain a section
in which various forms to be used by citizens/customers are available. The forms should be
available for being printed or for being completed on the computer itself and then printed
out for submission. Attempts should also be made to enable completion and submission of
forms online.
x. The Hindi version of the content of the websites should as far as possible be developed
simultaneously.
xi. Each Ministry/Department would also make efforts to develop packages so as to begin
electronic delivery of services to the public.
xii. Each Ministry/Department should have an overall IT vision or strategy for a five year
period, within which it could dovetail specific action plans and targets (including the
minimum agenda) to be implemented within one year.
Many countries have initiated e-Governance programmes in order to make government and its
agencies efficient, more responsive and transparent. Some of these initiatives can be found at:
http://arc.gov.in/11threp/arc_11threport_ch3.pdf

2.3AIM OF E-GOVERNANCE
The complete transformation of the processes of Governance using the implementation of Information
& Communication Technology is called E-Governance3. It aims at bringing in faster and transparent
service delivery, accountability, information sharing and people participation in the decision making
and govt. processes.
It brings in SMART Governance viz.:
S - Simple: Simplification of rules and procedures of Government making it user-friendly. M-Moral:
Infusing ethics and morals into officers again since anti-corruption and vigilance agencies improving.
A- Accountable: ICT helps set standards of performance and efficiently measures it.
R- Responsive: Efficient service delivery and government that is in tune with the people. T-
Transparent: Information confined to secrecy is out in the public domain bringing equity and rule of
law in public agencies. SMART Governance enables:
1. People participation
2. Accountability and efficiency
3. Transparency
4. User friendly government processes
5. Removal of hierarchical barriers and red tape
6. Better service delivery

3 The unit is thankfully adopted from http://www.publicadministrationtheone.blogspot.in/2014/02/e-governanceconcept-

significance.html
2.4 STAGES OF E-GOVERNANCE
1. Simple Information Dissemination - A one way broadcasting of information stage from Govt. to
the constituents.
2. Two-Way Communication - A request and response form of communication which is generally
done in the manner of emails, website form filling, etc.
3. Online Service Transactions - Citizens can perform a number of online services and financial
transactions on a website in a self service form.
4. Integration (Vertical & Horizontal) - Via this method the government attempts inter & intra-
governmental integration by means of ICT to remove the hierarchical barriers inducing red-
tapism in service delivery and information dissemination.
5. Political Participation - Online voting, online polling, online public forums and wider interaction
with the government.

2.5 MODELS OF E-GOVERNANCE4

Digital Governance models keep on expanding and evolving as new applications of ICTs come to light
and to deal with new issues in the area of governance. There are no rigid or finite models of Digital
Governance. In fact developing countries are experimenting on their own to find which models will
works for them and will best serve their needs. Some of these models may be technologically simple but
are changing the way information is distributed and used in the society. Based on primary
experimentation and secondary research, a few generic models which have emerged and are being
practiced have been identified. These Digital Governance models should be examined in light of:
 Emergence of knowledge societies and knowledge networkers 
Role of information in governance process, and  Link between ICT
and governance.

2.5.1 Broadcasting Model

Broadcasting model is based on mass dissemination of governance-related information which is
already available in the public domain into the wider public domain using ICTs. This raises awareness
among the citizens about ongoing governance processes and government services that are available to
them and how they can benefit from them. It allows citizens to form an opinion of the government and
its administration based on services delivered to them - whether the government services were
available to them, and the quality of service received. This could be judged in terms of time spent,
number of visits required and level of bureaucracy encountered to avail the services. Equipped with
this information, the citizens can feel more empowered to voice their concerns and influence
governance processes to make them more efficient. The application of this model using appropriate
technologies, could reduce the "information failure situations" where citizens are unaware of new and
existing services being provided by the government. It can also provide as alternative channel to
people to stay updated of governance related information and to validate information received from
other sources.

4 Thankfully adapted from http://www.digitalgovernance.org/index.php/models with due permission from the Mr.
Vikas Nath, Founder- DigitalGovernance.org
 Figure 6: Broadcasting model
Applications
• Putting governmental laws and legislations online
• Making available the names, contact addresses, emails, mobile numbers of local/ regional/
national government officials online.
• Make available information such as governmental plans, budgets, expenditures, and
performance reports online.
• Putting key judicial decisions which are of value to general citizens and create a precedence
for future actions online. viz. key environmental decisions, state vs. citizen decisions etc.
The Broadcasting Model is a stepping stone to more complex Digital Governance models. It is also the
most fundamental model as it enhances 'access' and 'flow' of information to all segments of the society,
which is essential to bringing good governance. In several developing counties, even the basic
governance-related information is unavailable, for instance, the opening and closing times of
government offices, or information government department and units which deal with specific issues
such as agricultural subsidies or getting licence for opening a business.
Central and state governments in developing countries need to aggressively adopt this model to
provide greater governance services to their constituencies, and to enhance the participation of citizens
in governance processes. Simultaneously, the civil society groups should demand for such models to
enable access to governance information which can improve the quality of lives of people. The model
can lose its effectiveness in societies, where the free-flow of information is not possible. This can
happen in countries where freedom of speech and expression, or political freedom is restricted, or there
are tight governmental controls to censor information. The model also loses its effectiveness in
situation of optimal ignorance. This happens when citizens are indifferent / not motivated to act upon
information available to them, or when governments and decision-makers take wrong decisions, not
because of absence of information, but complete disregard of available information.

2.5.2 Comparative Analysis Model

Comparative Analysis Model is one of the least-used but a high potential e-governance model for
developing countries. The model can be used to empower people by comparing cases of bad
governance with those of good governance and identifying specific aspects of bad governance, the
reasons and people behind them, and how the situation can be improved.
The model is based on using immense capacity of ICT and social media tools to explore given
information sets with comparable information available in the public or private domain. For instance,
if a given amount of money can build 5 primary schools in District 'A' in a country, then why does the
same amount of money build only 2 schools in District 'B'? Could this be because of corruption of
officials and contractors involved, or siphoning of money for other things? The outcomes are strategic
learnings and empowerment, and can lay the basis for possible action, eg: filing of right to information
(RTI) to find where the money went.
Essentially, the model continuously assimilates ―best practices‖ in different areas of governance and
uses them as benchmark to evaluate other governance practices. It then uses the result to advocate
positive changes or to influence 'public' opinion on existing governance practices. The comparison
could be made over a time scale to get a snapshot of the past and the present situation or could be used
to compare the effectiveness of an intervention by comparing two similar situations.
The strength of this model lies in the infinite capacity of digital networks to store varied information
and retrieve and transmit it instantly across all geographical and hierarchical barriers.

Figure 7: Comparative analysis model

Application
This model could be applied in the following possible ways:

• To learn from past policies and actions and derive learning lessons for future policymaking.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the current policies and identify key learnings in terms of
strengths and flaws in the policies.
• To effectively establish conditions of Precedence, especially in the case of Judicial or legal
decision-making (example for resolving patent-related disputes, public goods ownership rights),
and use it to influence/ advocate future decision-making.
• To enable informed decision-making at all levels by enhancing the background knowledge and
also providing a rationale for action.
• To evaluate the performance and track-record of a particular decision-maker/ decisionmaking
body.
Developing countries could very effectively use this comparative model as ICT opens their access to
the global and local knowledge products at a relatively low -cost. The model is very much based on the
existing sets of information but requires the ability to analyse and bring out strong arguments which
could then be used to catalyze existing efforts towards self governance.

There is a vast scope of application of this model for judicial advocacy as landmark/key judgments of
the past could be used as precedence for influencing future decision- making. Further, watch-guard
organizations and monitor-groups can use this model to continuously track the governance past record
and performance and compare with different information sets. The model however becomes
ineffective in absence of a strong civil society interest and public memory which is essential to force
decision-makers to improve existing governance practices.

2.5.3 Critical Flow Model

The model is based on broadcasting information of 'critical' value (which by its very nature will not be
disclosed by those involved with bad governance practices) to targeted audience using ICTs and other
tools. Targeted audience may include media, affected parties, opposition parties, judicial bench,
independent investigators or the general public.

Those who would divulge such information could include upright officials and workers,
whistleblowers, affected parties and those who were themselves involved in bad governance practices
but have now changed their minds or may wish to trade such information for lenient punishments.

Figure 8: Critical flow model The use

of this model requires a foresight of:
• Understanding the "critical and use value" of a particular information set
• How or from where this information could be obtained
• How could the information be used strategically
• Who are the best target group for such information- the users for whom the availability of this
information will make a huge difference
The strength of this model is that the concept of 'distance' and 'time' becomes redundant when
information is hosted on a digital network. Once available on the digital network, the information
could be used advantageously- by instantly transferring the critical information to its user group
located anywhere or by making it freely available in the wider public domain.

Applications

This model could be applied in the following possible ways:

• Making available corruption related data about a particular Ministry / Division/ Officials online
to its electoral constituency or to the concerned regulatory body.
• Making available Research studies, Enquiry reports, Impact studies commissioned by the
Government or Independent commissions to the affected parties.
• Making Human Rights Violations cases violations freely available to Judiciary, NGOs and
concerned citizens.
• Making available information that is usually suppressed, for instance, Environmental
Information on radioactivity spills, effluents discharge, information on green ratings of the
company to concerned community.

This model is more directed and evolved in comparison to the Broadcasting/Wider Dissemination
Model. Different organizations can use it differently depending on the aspect of governance they
situation they want to address. By focusing on the critical aspect of information and locating its
likeable users, the model corrects information failure, raising awareness about the bad governance
practices, and acts as a hindrance to bad governance practices.

At the same time, the model exerts indirect pressure on the concerned governance institution / policy-
making body to move away from optimal ignorance attitude to reform, and take into cognizance the
interest and opinion of the masses in decision- making processes.

The model may not work in cases where the governance mechanism does not allow public debates and
opinions, and censures all information of critical nature. This model unlike the Broadcasting/ Wider-
Dissemination model would be more effective in situations of Optimal Ignorance of the Government.
Optimal ignorance occurs when injudicious decisions are taken not in the absence of availability of
enough information but because of disregard of information by the decision-makers.

2.5.4 E-Advocacy Model

E-Advocacy / Mobilization and Lobbying Model is one of the most frequently used Digital
Governance model and has often come to the aid of the global civil society to impact on global
decision-making processes. The model is based on setting-up a planned, directed flow of information
to build strong virtual allies to complement actions in the real world. Virtual communities are formed
which share similar values and concerns, and these communities in turn link up with or support real-
life groups/ activities for concerted action. The model builds the momentum of real-world processes
by adding the opinions and concerns expressed by virtual communities. The strength of this model is
in its diversity of the virtual community, and the ideas, expertise and resources accumulated through
this virtual form of networking. The model is able to mobilize and leverage human resources and
information beyond geographical, institutional and bureaucratic barriers, and use it for concerted
action.

Figure 9: Mobilisation and lobbying model

Applications
This model could be applied in the following possible ways:
• Fostering public debates on issue of larger concerns, namely on the themes of upcoming
conferences, treaties etc.
• Formation of pressure groups on key issues to force decision-makers to take their concerns
into cognisance.
• Making available opinions of a suppressed groups who are not involved in the decisionmaking
process into wider public domain.
• Catalysing wider participation in decision-making processes.
• Building up global expertise on a particular theme in absence of localised information to aid
decision-making.
This model has grown manifold since the onset of debates on the Seattle round of World Trade
Organisation in 1999, which saw the formation of several virtual communities to express their
concerns in the WTO agreements. The display of a unified, informed civil society force at Seattle was
in some ways a result of the intensive interaction and exchange of opinion happening over the virtual
networks months prior to this WTO summit. There was a lot of concerted actions at the Regional level
as an end result of such discussions which built into the global movement.
The model enhances the scope of participation of individuals and communities in debates which affect
them and help them build a global alliance. A community may no longer find itself isolated but may
find an ally for mobilizing effective action through this model. It also creates an effective deterrent for
governments and decision-making bodies who are responsive to people's opinion to provide better
governance.

The model could also be used favourably by the government in a positive manner to encourage public
debates on issues where the opinion and expertise of civil society is of great importance and therefore
could become a tool to enhance democratic practises and improve governance practices (especially in
Developing Countries).

2.5.5 Interactive Service Model

Interactive-Service model is a consolidation of the other digital governance models and opens up
possibilites for one-to-one and self-serviced participation of individuals in governance processes.
ICTs have the potential to bring every individual into a digital network and enable interactive (two-
ways or multiple-ways) flow of information among them. This potential of ICTs is fully leveraged in
this model. As the participation is direct and not through representatives, it can bring greater
objectivity and transparency in decision-making processes, and give a greater feeling of involvement
and empowerment, provided that individuals are willing to engage in the governance processes.

Figure 10: Interactive service model

Under this model, the various services offered by the Government become directly available to its
citizens in an interactive manner. It does so by opening up an interactive Government to Consumer to
Government (G2C2G) channel in various aspects of governance, such as election of government
officials (e-ballots); decision to make on specific issues (eg: health plans), delivery of individualised
government services, gauging public mood and opinions, targeting specific communities for specific
governance advice or services, bringing mass awareness.
Applications
This model could be applied in the following possible ways:
• To establish an interactive communication channels with key policy-makers and members of
planning commissions.
• To conduct electronic ballots for the election of government officials and other office bearers.
• To conduct public debates / opinion polls on issues of wider concern before formulation of
policies and legislative frameworks.
• Filing of grievances, feedback and reports by citizens with the concerned governmental body.
• Establishing decentralize forms of governance.
• Performing governance functions online such as revenue collection, filing of taxes,
governmental procurement, payment transfer etc.
The model firmly relies on the interactive applications of ICT and therefore is a technology and cost -
intensive model which will require a transition period before being adopted on a wider scale,
especially in the developing countries. It would also require elemental familiarity of ICT among the
citizens to fully benefit from this model. Nevertheless, the diminishing costs of ICT and the
advantages offered by this technology would certainly catalyze the penetration of this model.
Intermediary organisations, knowledge networkers and middlemen will play a tremendous role to play
in widespread replication of this model.

2.6 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR FACILITATING ICT IN

E-GOVERNANCE5
1. Information Technology Act 2000 - The objective of this Act is "to provide legal recognition
for transactions carried out by means of electronic data interchange and other means of
electronic methods of communication commonly referred as "electronic means of
communication and storage of information" to facilitate electronic filing of documents with the
govt. agencies, and further to amend the IPC, Indian Evidence Act 1872 and the Banker's book
Evidence Act 1891 and the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934 and for matters connected
therewith or incidental thereto." E-Governance and E-Commerce transactions are covered
under the ambit of this Act which facilitates acceptance of electronic records and digital
signature. It provides legal framework so that legal sanctity is accorded to all electronic records
and other activities carried out by electronic means.
2. Report Of The Working Group On Convergence And E-Governance 20012-07 - This
working group report proposed the need for administration to transform itself from passive
information and service provider to a platform for the active involvement of citizens. However,
the main drawback of this report was it focused only on public investments and did not
visualize the extent of private initiative in the convergence area or in e-commerce and other
allied segments. It advocated the need to set up a central body for taking stock of the total IT
picture in the country called 'Council for EGovernance' or ad hoc 'Commission on re-
engineering Administrative procedures for EGovernance'. Or a National Institute of Smart
Governance could be set up.
3. Common Minimum Programme - The CMP inter-alia states that e-governance will be
promoted on a massive scale and solemnly pledged to the country's people that the UPA govt.
would be a corruption free, transparent and accountable government and its administration
would be a one that is responsible and responsive at all times.
4. National E-Governance Plan - The National E-Governance Plan which forms the core
infrastructure for effective service delivery has as its elements - Data centres, State wide Area
Networks and Common Service Centres to bring about transparency and citizen centric
approach in administration.
5. Expert Committee - This expert committee had been constituted for amendments in the IT Act
2000 to include the technological developments post IT Act 2000 which submitted its report in
Aug 2005. Its recommendations have been displayed on the department of IT to invite public
view and suggestions. The expert committee took into consideration and analyzed relevant
experiences and international best practices to recommend in its report. The twin objectives of
using IT as a tool for socio-economic development and employment generation; and further
consolidation of India's position as a major global player in the IT sector.
6. Right To Information Act 2005 - The Right To Information Act 2005 confers on the citizens
the right to:
a. Inspect works, documents and records of the govt. and its agencies.
5 http://www.publicadministrationtheone.blogspot.in/2014/02/e-governance-concept-significance.html
 b. Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
c. Take certified samples of material.
d. Obtain information in form of print outs, diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or
in any other electronic mode.
This Act has facilitated a two way dialogue between the people and the govt. ensuring
transparent and accountable governance to the people in order to make well informed decisions
and tackle corruption as well as monitor the functioning of the government.

2.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF E-GOVERNANCE

ICT applications have the following significance in the process of E-Governance:
a. Administrative Development: ICTs help in reforming administrative processes to a great
extent. ICTs help in the following manners:
i. Automation of Administrative Processes - When there is minimal human intervention
and everything is system driven then this leads to effective and efficient as well as
timely services. Now departments are computerised and connected through network
and software has been built and designed around government depts. ensuring efficiency
in operations.
ii. The departments have launched their own individual websites carrying information of
their respective departments enabling online carrying of operations
and file movements as well as budgeting, accounting, data flow, etc. have become easy.
iii. Paper-Work Reduction- Paperwork is reduced to a great extent with communication
being enabled via electronic route and storage and retrieval of information in the
electronic form. In this concept files and mails (information) are transmitted over wires
to small computers at each employees desk and everything is computer managed. SO
there is reduction of physical movements and consumption as well as storage of huge
piles of paper.
iv. Quality Of Services - ICT facilitates Govt. to deliver services to the citizens with
greater accountability, responsiveness and sensitivity since now people are able to get
services efficiently and instantaneously as well as economically.
v. Online redressal of grievances ensures officials accountability and also sensitises them.
Video tele-conferencing monitoring has further facilitated central supervision,
reporting and face to face communication leading to better quality of services.
vi. Elimination Of Hierarchy - Through the introduction of Intranet and LAN there has
been a reduction in procedural delays caused by hierarchical processed in organisations
as it has become possible to send and receive information and data across various
levels in an organisation instantaneously helping the involvement of all levels in
decision making.
vii. Change in Administrative Culture - With E-Governance public action has come under
public glare thus inducing norms and values of
accountability,openness,integrity,fairness,equity,responsibility and justice in the
administrative culture freeing it from 'bureau-pathology' and becoming efficient and
responsive.

b. Effective Service Delivery: The above mentioned has become possible since ICTs ensure -
 i. Transparency - Via dissemination and publication of information on the web which
involves detailed public scrutiny making the service delivery efficient and accountable.
ii. Economic Development - ICTs reduce transaction costs making services cheaper. To
state an example - rural areas suffer on account of lack of information regarding
markets, products, agriculture, health, education, weather, etc. and when all of this
could be accessed online by them it would evidently lead to better and more
opportunities and prosperity in such areas.
iii. Social Development - Access to information empowers citizens as they can participate
and voice their concerns which could be accommodated in programme/project
formulation, implementation, monitoring and service delivery.
Also, web enabled participation will counter the discriminatory factors affecting our
societal behavior.
iv. Strategic Information System - The competitiveness in the organizational sphere today
has forced public functionaries to perform to their best ability and this is achieved only
when information regarding all aspects are made available to the management at every
point in order to make routine as well as strategic decisions which are done effectively
via the use of ICTs.

2.8 CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EGOVERENCE

In order to harness the benefits of ICT maximally, there is a need to develop sufficient and adequate
infrastructure, provide sufficient capital and investments, enable easy and wider accessibility and
generate ample, skillful HR. Let us discuss these challenges in detail.
i. Infrastructure - TO strengthen the infrastructure ' The National Task Force on Information
Technology and Software Development' in 1998 recommended broadband connection (also
known as 'the last mile') linkage for IT application Service Providers (ASPs),Internet Services
Providers(ISPs) and IT promotional organisations either by fiber optics or by radio
communication with the aim to ' boost efficiency and enhance market integration' through
Internet/Intranet for sustainable regional development.
ii. Capital - High rate of investment in IT capital and supportive environment is necessary to
achieve a digital economy. The economy is crunched on resources so the need is to generate
resources from the market and private sector. PPP is a step in the right direction to achieve
this.
iii. Access - Even though there are more than 10 million users of the Internet in the country, more
than 75% of these users are in urban India alone which exposes the reach of the rural and
disadvantaged sections. However, Gram Panchayats are being roped in to expand ICTs reach.
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed a comprehensive web-based software
for Panchayati Raj and rural applications viz. Andhra Pradesh which is a step in the right
direction.
iv. Utility Of Information - Information which is of use should be provided in an interesting and
appealing manner. A vision document has been prepared for EGovernance by the Government
of India and the State Governments. Though Citizen's Charters of many departments are
available on the net,further publicity of such facilities is required to enable the public to
access the necessary information.
v. Human Resources Development - There exists a dearth of quality manpower in India inspite
of growing rate of employment in various sectors. A gap exists between demand and supply in
the IT Manpower market. To bridge this gap we need to have more technical institutes to
impart quality education and training to build a pool of human resources in the field.
vi. Capacity Building - One needs to be trained in computer skills for effective service delivery.
Though this training is being carried out to all the basic public functionaries,yet its effective
use of ICT is yet to be seen. Also, there is a need to immediately launch a nationwide 'Tain
The Teachers' Programme(3T Programme) at all levels including schools and colleges viz.
combination of physical and virtual training.
vii. Changing the Mindset Of Government Functionaries - Govt. functionaries need to be
reminded and made aware that they are there to serve the people as per the policies and
programmes and in order to do that efficiently technological advancement is a facilitator
which solves the problems faced by the people. ICT is not a solution in itself. In order to
change this mindset of public functionaries there is a need to impart orientation and training
programmes to them emphasizing this.
viii. Language - Given the Indian social conditions, unless we develop interface in vernacular
languages, it would remain out of reach of many people who are not versed in English. It may
be mentioned here that this hurdle is being worked upon and organisations like CDAC has
developed multilingual software for this purpose.
ix. Standardisation in Data Encoding - Multiple access points maintained in various languages
at various levels need to be updated in conformity with similar standards for data-encoding
and application logic for a common horizontal application and data dictionary. This is also
important for finding aggregates in the national context.
x. Grievance Redressal Mechanism - Grievance redressal for various functions need to be
made necessarily. For this Interactive platforms on the internet may speed up the process and
be useful for this purpose.
xi. A good example of this is the BMC-Praja Foundation's joint initiative of the Online
Complaint Management System (OCMS) which is perhaps the world's first citizen-govt.
partnership for resolving public grievances in municipal services. It has been in operation
since April 2003 and efficiently uses IT as a tool for achieving its results.
xii. The Central Vigilance Commission has also provided such a platform for people to register
their complaints against corrupt officials.
However, such sporadic instances need to be made more broad-based and effective and more
public service agencies need to get into providing such facilities.
xiii. Cyber Laws - Appropriate laws need to be enacted by the govt. which are especially
necessary to enable transactions over the Internet. Safety concerns regarding the use of credit
cards or other modes of payment inhibits consumers from utilizing online facilities. MTNL
Delhi as an example has provided the online facility for payment of telephone bills but not
even one percent of its consumers avail it. Therefore, strict and robust cyber laws need to be
enacted and efficiently implemented so that confidence is generated in the minds of
consumers towards this system to provide online security.
2.9 EVOLUTION IN E-GOVERNANCE AND MATURITY MODELS
2.9.1 Difference between E-Government and E-Governance
Both terms are treated to be the same, however, there is some difference between the two.
"Egovernment" is the use of the ICTs in public administration - combined with organizational change
and new skills - to improve public services and democratic processes and to strengthen support to
public6. The problem in this definition to be congruence definition of e-governance is that there is no
provision for governance of ICTs. As a matter of fact, the governance of ICTs requires most probably a
substantial increase in regulation and policy-making capabilities, with all the expertise and opinion-
shaping processes along the various social stakeholders of these concerns. So, the perspective of the e-
governance is "the use of the technologies that both help governing and have to be governed". The
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) based e-governance projects are hugely successful in India. United
Telecoms Limited known as UTL is a major player in India on PPP based e-governance projects . Each
project had mammoth statewide area networks in these states.
Many countries are looking forward to a corruption-free government. E-government is one-way
communication protocol whereas e-governance is two-way communication protocol. The essence of e-
governance is to reach the beneficiary and ensure that the services intended to reach the desired
individual has been met with. There should be an auto-response to support the essence of e-
governance, whereby the Government realizes the efficacy of its governance. Egovernance is by the
governed, for the governed and of the governed.
Establishing the identity of the end beneficiary is a challenge in all citizen-centric services. Statistical
information published by governments and world bodies does not always reveal the facts. The best
form of e-governance cuts down on unwanted interference of too many layers while delivering
governmental services. It depends on good infrastructural setup with the support of local processes and
parameters for governments to reach their citizens or end beneficiaries. Budget for planning,
development and growth can be derived from well laid out e-governance systems
Maturity models are models of organizational improvement that are built on the observation that
organisations involved in complex endeavors move through levels of effectiveness 7. As organisations
become more experienced in those endeavors and develop effective systems supporting the activities,
they become more "mature" in their approach. A maturity model is a method for judging the maturity
of the processes of an organization and for identifying the key practices that are required to increase
the maturity of these processes.
However, in its simplest form, a maturity model is an enumeration of attributes for a sequence of
maturity levels8. An eGovernment maturity model provides us with guidance on how to gain control of
our processes for developing and maintaining eGovernment services and how to evolve toward a
culture of excellence in providing and managing eGovernment(Windley P. J., 2002).
Table 3: e-government maturity model

6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-governance
7 http://www.cad.vuw.ac.nz/research/emm/two_faq.php
8 http://www.windley.com/docs/eGovernment%20Maturity.pdf
2.9.2 Levels of E-Governance
There are four levels in e-governance9:
a. Level 1: Information : In the first phase e-governance means being present on the web,
providing the external public with relevant information. The format of the first government
websites is similar to that of a brochure or leaflet. The value to the public is that government
information is publicly accessible; processes are described and thus become more transparent,
which improves democracy and service. Internally (G2G) the government can also disseminate
information with static electronic means, such as the Internet. In this phase it is all about
information from a single page presence on the web to a website with all relevant government
information available to the public. Most governments are at this stage in India, and therefore
what they believe is the end of the process is only the beginning.
b. Level 2: Interaction: In the second phase the interaction between government and the public is
stimulated with various applications. People can ask questions via e-mail, use search engines
for information and are able to download all sorts of forms and documents. These
functionalities save time. In fact the complete intake of applications can be done online at all
times of the day on all days of the year, instead of only being possible at a physical counter
during working hours. Internally government organizations use local networks, intranets and e-
mail to communicate and exchange data. The bottom line is that more efficiency and
effectiveness is achieved because a large part of the intake is done online. However, you still
have to go to the office to finalise the transaction, by paying a fee, handing over evidence or
signing papers. A few progressive governments in India started projects in some areas which
allow this level of service to occur.
c. Level 3: Transaction: With phase three the complexity of the technology is increasing, but
customer value will also be higher. Most complete transactions can be done without going to a
government office. Examples of online services are filing income tax, filing property tax,
extending/renewal of licenses, visa and passports and online voting. Phase three is mainly
complex because of security and personalization issues – e.g. digital signatures are necessary to
enable legal transfer of services. On the business side the government is starting with e-

9 http://productivity.tn.nic.in/knowledgebase/egov/Levels%20of%20e-Governance.pdf
 procurement applications. In this phase, internal processes have to be redesigned to provide
good service. Now the complete process is online, including payments and certification. Only
one or two governments in India are at the stage where they are providing this level of service
across some functions in a department. And probably there is none that is doing it for all
functions in any one department.
d. Level 4: Transformation: The fourth phase if the transformation phase in which all
information system are integrated and the public can get all services at one (virtual) counter.
One single point of contact for all services is the ultimate goal. The complex aspect in reaching
this goal is mainly on the internal side, e.g. the necessity to drastically change culture,
processes and responsibilities within the government institution. Government employees in
different departments have to work together in a smooth and seamless way. In this phase cost
savings, efficiency and customer satisfaction are reaching highest possible levels.

2.9.2 e-Governance maturity model

E-Governance Maturity Model EMM V.1 (Dhingra & Misra, 2002) proposes some levels of maturity,
depending on the effectiveness with which the e-governance efforts have been initiated, implemented
or successfully completed.
 The model also provides for identification of key focus areas that need to be concentrated for
attaining a specific maturity level.
 The EMM version 1.0 proposes five levels of maturity, depending upon the effectiveness with
which the e-governance efforts have been initiated, pursued, utilized and institutionalized.

Figure 11: E-Governance maturity levels

LEVEL 1: Closed10
 Here an organization does not use ICT as a facilitator for good governance and has no plans to
do so in the near future.
 Such situation may arise due to lack of exposure to ICTs and associated benefits that again may
depend upon a number of reasons: remoteness, lack of resources and strategic thinking.
 As a result the organization is closed in terms of being connected and sharing of information in
the context of ―E-governance‖.
 However, even in this condition the organization may be efficiently functioning.
LEVEL 2: Initial
 This level corresponds to the stage when an organization has initiated the automation of its
processes but on a ad-hoc basis.
 No organized efforts are made to undertake the e-governance initiatives.
 May of such efforts are abandoned due to lack of proper direction
LEVEL 3: Planned
 This level comprises of systematic approaches with clearly defined vision, objectives and goals
for e- governance.
 Need assessments are made to prioritize the areas of implementation and measure the extent of
e-readiness.
 Taking necessary input from need assessment study, extensive planning has been carried out
indicating policies, strategies, various activities, stakeholders, roles and responsibilities and
resources required in terms of time, money and manpower to undertake the e-governance
exercise.
LEVEL 4: Realized
 This level corresponds to the stage when the organization actually realizes the complete e-
governance plan.
 Consequently, an integrated system is established where all the internal processes of the
organization are computerized and there is a seamless information exchange among all
concerned entities.
 The organization starts delivering the services to its external as well as internal customers in an
effective manner.
 Complete realization of the plan, in a single instance, would entail enormous amount of
resources in terms of time, money and manpower which may necessitate adopting a phased
approached for operationalizing the e-governance services.
 Retrospected: At this level, the organization has retrospectively studied its business processes
in view of its vision, overall e-governance objectives, the service-oriented approach and
changes, if required, in the processes are initiated as a constant evolutionary process.
 E-ready: In this stage, e-readiness essentials, which are also the building blocks for
egovernance, are ensured by the organization.
 Partially open: At this stage some of the e-governance services are operationalized resulting in
a partial information exchange among the entities both within and outside the organization.

10 http://documents.mx/documents/e-governance-models-unit-2.html
  Open: This sub-level of realized state implies complete deployment of e-governance services
that ensure an integrated system that is open to information exchange. The focus here shifts
from acquiring and implementing ―e‖ enabling factors to effectiveness to deal with the
customer needs and is accountable for its services.
LEVEL 5: Institutionalized
 At this level, the organization sustains the realized state over a period of time so that
egovernance becomes part of its work culture. The e-governance services are effectively
utilized and accepted by the users. Several iterations between planned and realized state lead to
institutionalization , when e-governance becomes a way of life.
 E-Readiness Essentials o presence of strategic thinking, leadership and commitment among
top-level decision makers
o Institutional Infrastructure o ICT
Infrastructure o Human Capacities
o Legal Infrastructure
For further details of the above, the readers are advised to refer the following link:
http://documents.mx/documents/e-governance-models-unit-2.html

2.10 DIGITAL INDIA PROGRAM

The Digital India programme is a flagship programme of the Government of India with a vision to
transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy 11. The journey of e-
Governance initiatives in India took a broader dimension in mid 90s for wider sectoral applications
with emphasis on citizen-centric services. Later on, many States/UTs started various e-Governance
projects. Though these e-Governance projects were citizen-centric, they could make lesser than the
desired impact. Government of India launched National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) in 2006. 31
Mission Mode Projects covering various domains were initiated. Despite the successful
implementation of many e-Governance projects across the country, e-Governance as a whole has not
been able to make the desired impact and fulfill all its objectives.
It has been felt that a lot more thrust is required to ensure e-Governance in the country promote
inclusive growth that covers electronic services, products, devices and job opportunities. Moreover,
electronic manufacturing in the country needs to be strengthened.
In order to transform the entire ecosystem of public services through the use of information
technology, the Government of India has launched the Digital India programme with the vision to
transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
Digital India has three core components12. These include:
 The creation of digital infrastructure
 Delivering services digitally
 Digital literacy
There are nine pillars of Digital India Programme.
1. Broadband Highways
2. Universal Access to Mobile Connectivity
3. Public Internet Access Programme

11 http://www.digitalindia.gov.in/content/about-programme
12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_India
 4. e-Governance – Reforming Government through Technology
5. eKranti - Electronic delivery of services
6. Information for All
7. Electronics Manufacturing
8. IT for Jobs
9. Early Harvest Programmes

2.10.1 Services
Some of the facilities which will be provided through this initiative are Digital Locker, eeducation, e-
health, e-sign and national scholarship portal. As the part of Digital India, Indian government planned
to launch Botnet cleaning centers.
1. DigiLocker: Digital Locker facility will help citizens to digitally store their important
documents like PAN card, passport, mark sheets and degree certificates. Digital Locker will
provide secure access to Government issued documents. It uses authenticity services provided
by Aadhaar. It is aimed at eliminating the use of physical documents and enables sharing of
verified electronic documents across government agencies.
2. Attendance.gov.in: Attendance.gov.in is a website, launched by PM Narendra Modi on 1 July
2015 to keep a record of the attendance of Government employees on a real-time basis. This
initiative started with implementation of a common Biometric Attendance System (BAS) in the
central government offices located in Delhi.
3. MyGov.in: MyGov.in is a platform to share inputs and ideas on matters of policy and
governance.

2.11 TOWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE THROUGH

EGOVERNANCE MODELS
The changes brought about in the citizen-government relationship through digital governance are
fourfold:
 They open up avenues for flow of information both vertically and laterally, and thus encompass
a wider foundation of the civil society. A greater density of information flow is achieved –
between government and civil society, amidst the government or within the civil society itself.
The right to voice and expression therefore gets more frequently exercised by citizens who
wish to engage in the political processes.
 Information becomes difficult to be capitalized by a few for political gains and at the expense
of ignorance of citizens. Digital governance ensures that the power-equations shift from being
concentrated and restricted at selected nodes to its more even and timely distribution among
citizens, opposition parties and watch guard groups.
 There is a greater scope to influence policy-makers and members of the civil society through
collective opinion casting, direct participation, participation in public debates, and use of
advocacy tools.
 Policy-makers become more aware of the voices of people and can effectively involve them in
policy-making mechanisms. They realize that their actions are under the scrutiny of many more
watch guard organizations and there are greater avenues available with people to obtain or
triangulate information from different sources. Information also becomes difficult to obliterate
and is forever archived to increase the institutional memory of the society.
2.12 SUMMARY
1. Through e-governance, government services are made available to citizens in a convenient,
efficient and transparent manner.
2. E-Governance is about reform in governance, facilitated by the creative use of Information
and Communications Technology.
3. The aim of e-governance is bringing in faster and transparent service delivery, accountability,
information sharing and people participation in the decision making and govt. processes.
4. Recognising the increasing importance of electronics, the Government of India established the
Department of Electronics in 1970
5. Rapid growth of communications technology and its adoption in governance would help in
bringing government machinery to the doorsteps of the citizens.
6. Digital Governance models keep on expanding and evolving as new applications of ICTs
come to light and to deal with new issues in the area of governance.
7. The National E-Governance Plan which forms the core infrastructure for effective service
delivery has as its elements - Data centres, State wide Area Networks and Common Service
Centres to bring about transparency and citizen centric approach in administration.

2.13 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

[1]. ________ would make available timely and reliable information on various aspects of
governance.
[2]. The complete transformation of the processes of Governance using the implementation of
Information & Communication Technology is called________________.
[3]. ___________ model is based on mass dissemination of governance-related information which
is already available in the public domain into the wider public domain using ICTs.
[4]. Comparative Analysis Model is one of the least-used but a high potential e-governance model
for ________ countries.
[5]. ________________ model is also known as Mobilization and Lobbying Model.
[6]. E-Governance and ____________ transactions are covered under the ambit of
Information Technology Act 2000 which facilitates acceptance of electronic records and
digital signature.
[7]. _____________ are models of organizational improvement that are built on the observation that
organisations involved in complex endeavors move through levels of effectiveness

2.14 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

[1]. ICT
[2]. E-Governance
[3]. Broadcasting
[4]. Developing
[5]. E-Advocacy
[6]. E-Commerce
[7]. Maturity models
2.15 MODEL QUESTIONS
1. What is e –governance? What are the goals of e-governance?
2. What are the benefits of e-governance?
3. What are the basic models of e-governance? Explain each model in details.
4. Explain legal and policy framework for facilitating ICT in e-governance.
5. What is the significance of e-governance?
6. What are the challenges in the implementation of e-governance?
7. What is the difference between e-government and e-governance?
8. Explain the different levels of e-governance.
9. Discuss digital India program.
UNIT III: E-READINESS
3.1LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
• Understand the stages in e-governance.
• Know the benefits of e-governance.
• Understand e-readiness issues in the implementation of e-governance.

3.2 STAGES IN E-GOVERNANCE

Many governments initiate projects haphazardly, without any careful planning that takes into account
what stage must precede another for the succeeding one to be successful 13. Common sense reveals that
there are 4 general stages, which in most cases, must follow each other.
A. Stage 1: Information Technology Frameworks: Deployment of a basic Information
Technology framework is a prerequisite for any foray into e-Governance. By basic we mean:
a. Computers in some minimum number and with some minimum capability
b. Interconnectivity of those computers (networking)
c. Basic bandwidth for applications like internet access and email
d. A communication platform – such as an intranet
The development of an Intranet – an internal ‗internet‘ – for the employees and constituents of the
Government agency – for centralized access to collaborative work tools and information will
dramatically increase efficiency by creating a tap on common knowledge pool as well as providing
productivity tools. The choice of computers is relatively easy, however, the software is more
critical a component than the hardware. The price of a PC is pushed up by the cost of license for
commercial software. Open Source software which is available without fee for license, can help
enormous amounts of money as well as save government from a very dangerous strategic error.
B. Stage 2: Digitisation: Once technology has been deployed and a network put in place, the next
step is to make sure that all content and processes of the administration is digitized. Processes
and systems should ensure that digitization and tagging of documents becomes a habit, not one
isolated project. Digitisation and tagging ensures that time is saved in mundane tasks like
locating files. If the digitization process does not take place, the purpose of implementing e-
governance is defeated. How can you talk about providing better services to the citizens unless
the department is internally equipped to provide those services?
C. Stage 3: Citizens Access: Once the digitization process has become a process, the next logical
step for an administration is to make the information available to the citizens. One way of
doing this is through a ‗Citizens Portal‘ essentially involve transforming the information
produced by the Government to make it interactive, attractive and user – friendly, and then
allowing it to be accessed by citizens. This can change the experience that citizens have with
the administration and also increases the productivity of the officers by saving their time from
routine requirements of the general public.
D. Stage 4: Content: Even though Governments are one of the richest source of information, the
content generated by the government fails to involve the citizen. This is very dangerous

13 http://productivity.tn.nic.in/knowledgebase/egov/Stages%20of%20e-Governance.pdf
 because ultimately, after all the computers and networks and state wide fibre optic connections
are ready, the thing that will ensure the success or failure of egovernance is the content that
flows through those networks. Managing this last link to the citizen is a challenge and
unfortunately, has been one in which Government around the world have been singularly
unsuccessful in.

3.3 E-READINESS
There will be problems and challenges, the point however is to prepare to combat them. On a practical
level, it is not always the hidden political agenda or lack of resources or the problem of culture that
sabotages e-Governance initiatives. Very often, lack of readiness contributes most to the failure. Six
key questions can be asked of any government agency in order to assess how strategically prepared
they are for e-governance.

3.3.1 Is the Technology Infrastructure Ready?

Are the computer systems, management system, records and work processes in place to provide the
quantity and quality of data to support the move to e-governance? In many departments, data quality is
very poor, and there are few mechanisms to address these issues.

3.3.2 Is the Legal Infrastructure Ready?

Are the laws and regulations required to permit and to support the move to egovernance in place? In
many countries, for example, digital signatures cannot be accepted. Or in many departments, due to
the lack of a Right to information Act, there is great resistance to allowing transparency.

3.3.3 Is the Institutional Infrastructure Ready?

E-Governance can only be progressed if the institutions exist to act as a focus for awareness and to act
as a means for facilitation of e-Governance. In many countries, there are no institutions to coordinate
and lead and drive egovernance.

3.3.4 Is the Human Infrastructure Ready?

Are the attitudes, knowledge and skills in place that is required to initiate, implement and sustain e-
governance initiatives? In many departments, key skillgaps can make the entire exercise pointless even
before it starts. There are also ‗mindset‘ gaps – resistance to change, lack of customer-orientation;
resistance to information sharing.

3.3.5 Is the Technology framework Ready?

If all you have is a set of PC‘s without the underlying technologies to leverage them, then the project is
a non-starter. Basic are e-mail, internet access and some form of intranet-based groupware applications
no matter how simple or primitive it may be.
3.3.6 Is the Leadership and Strategic Thinking Ready?
A critical pre-condition in successful e-Governance is a champion or a small group of champions;
leaders with vision who put e-Governance onto the agenda and make it happen. Many cases show that
such leadership can smash through many operational barriers. Conversely, all the operational readiness
in the world is of limited value if there is no vision and leadership to give direction.
3.4 BENEFITS OF E-GOVERNANCE
There are thousands of ways in which intelligent bureaucrats and politicians around the world are
using e-governance initiatives to bring about a positive change in the government citizen interaction.
Here are a few examples:
a. Simpler Documentation- Digitisation of Land Records: One of the major problems a
member of the public face is to get access to their land records. In many countries, this has
been one of the priority areas for application of IT. Coupled with GIS, the decentralized
databases can hold the local level land records allowing easy access through dedicated
terminals. The transfer and registration of deeds can also be made much easier. The
implementation of a nation-wide project would eliminate a lot of hassle for all citizens and can
bring the fruits of IT revolution to the doorsteps of ordinary citizens. This will also drastically
reduce the number of litigations arising from landrelated disputes.
b. Faster Applications- Redressing Public Grievances: Under the present system, citizens can
ventilate their governance through applications/letters addressed to appropriate authorities.
Unfortunately, acknowledgement of receipt of these letters and responding to these letters are
almost totally absent in our ―government culture‖. In the absence of such mechanism, many of
the citizens have to spend a lot of efforts to get access to Minister or other high officials. Our
Constitution provides for the creation of an office of Ombudsman but even through almost
three decades have elapsed since adoption of the Constitution; we are yet to see its
implementation. Many countries have introduced the system of using e-mails to ventilate the
grievances with a lot of success. In fact, homepages of the Head of Government and Ministers
in many countries contain a link for directly sending e-mails to them. These are acknowledged
within a few minute (sometimes using Auto responder software) and the actions taken are
intimated within a few days.
c. Simpler Procurement- Goods and Services at lower cost: The Government in our country is
still the largest purchaser of various goods and largest user of services (such as consultancy
services) and implementation agency for various construction projects. The rules require
competitive bidding for all but the smallest of purchases (which can be done through spot
quotations). In order to meet the procedural requirements, advertisement in newspaper is
mandatory. With the proliferation of newspapers in the country, it is very difficult for intending
suppliers to keep track of all these notices. These problems can be eliminated by resorting to
use of internet. For example, the web sites of the agencies can have all the procurement notices
along with the relevant details (e.g. specifications, eligibility criteria, and bidding document)
which can be downloaded by the bidders. At a later stage, the responses (like tender or
consultancy proposals) can also be submitted using electric communication. This is now
recognized as a form of e-Commerce abbreviated as B2G (Business to Government).
d. Greater Reach of Services- Making the most of limited resources: One of the major
weaknesses in our health care system (particularly in the rural areas) is the lack of availability
trained doctors. It may not be possible to post specialist doctors in every village. However, if
these centers are connected to district level hospitals and national hospitals that have specialists
in various medical disciplines, a doctor or a paramedic can get online advice related to a
patient.
e. Accelerating Education-Doing more with less money: Information technology can
significantly contribute to improvement of our education system in a number of areas, e.g. in
 managing the large number of educational institutions (particularly the primary and secondary
schools) as well as in actual delivery of education. The present school system suffers from a
lack of trained teachers, and therefore CD-based courseware or video-based distance education
programs can be of great assistance to the teachers as well as students to overcome some of the
weaknesses. Moreover, once the schools are connected to the Internet, the students and teachers
can have access to most of the wellknown libraries in the world, where books, periodicals and
reports in digital format are freely available. The development of a Distance Learning System
with courses delivered over the Internet can be of great help at all levels of education and
training. The results of all public examinations can also be put on the Web.
f. Public Participation- Making Legislation interactive: The present system of enactment of
legislation does not have much scope for public participation. In fact, in almost all
parliamentary debates related to any bill, we see the Members of Parliament from the
opposition proposing that the bill be sent for eliciting public opinion but the proposal is almost
never accepted. However, the Internet provides an easy route for getting public opinion.
g. Simplifying Transactions-Payment of Utility Bills: In urban areas, almost all the households
have to interact with various utility agencies like power supply, water supply, gas and
telecommunications. Even in the routine this is a tiresome task and very often a user has a
grievance of an inaccurate bill which requires a number of visits to various offices for
resolution. These can be resolved through electric communication which can be carried out by
the consumer at his own convenience rather than wasting valuable office time. The
inconvenience of payment of bills can be avoided by resorting to electric fund transfer.
h. Inexpensive Deterrent- Maintaining Law and Order: The installation of inexpensive Web
cams connected to Police Headquarters for continuous recording at selected locations in large
urban areas can be a deterrent to crime, as has been the experience of some cities in Western
Europe. Filing of FIRs over the Internet has also been used with success in some countries.
Computers have been successfully used for storage of information about crimes and criminals.
By providing access to these databases from different police stations or even hand held devices
by police officials on the move, the job of tracking down criminals has become relatively
easier.
i. Inexpensive Deterrent- Post Offices: All the post offices in many countries have been
connected to the internet. This enables the transmission of e-mails by members of public and
hand delivery to the recipients (who do not have access to Internet). Moreover, public kiosks
can be located in these post offices to enable member of public to send and receive e-mails.
j. Simplifying Interaction- Municipalities: Members of the public often have to interact with
the City Corporation or Municipality offices for a variety of services like the payment of
holding tax, obtaining trade licenses, registration of births and deaths. These interactions can
easily be carried out over the Internet.
k. Incentive for Payment- Making Taxes and Levies easier: As Electronic Fund Transfer gains
popularity, many of the taxes and levies which the citizens have to pay may also be paid
through the internet through debit or credit cards. The filing of income tax returns can also be
done through the internet.
l. Making Recruitment Faster- Hiring Personnel: The government and government agencies
are still the largest employers in our country. Thousands of employees are recruited at different
levels every year. A central government web site can be developed to provide all the
 recruitment announcements, so that the applicants need not scan the large number of
newspapers, which in many cases are difficult to access from rural areas. The next step would
be the electronic submission of applications to the relevant agencies through e-mails. The web
sites of these agencies can also provide the information related to latest status of the
application.
m. Making a Permanent Library- Policy Documents for reference: All policy documents of
government can be placed on the Web and be constantly updated. For example, documents like
the Budget, specific plans can be placed alongwith the official gazettes. There are limitless
possibilities. What must be understood is that once there is a clear understanding of the issues
involved and the sincerity to resolve them, there can be an amazing number of innovations in
governance.

3.5 SUMMARY
1. Many governments initiate projects haphazardly, without any careful planning that takes into
account what stage must precede another for the succeeding one to be successful.
2. There will be problems and challenges, the point however is to prepare to combat them.
3. On a practical level, it is not always the hidden political agenda or lack of resources or the
problem of culture that sabotages e-Governance initiatives.
4. There are thousands of ways in which intelligent bureaucrats and politicians around the world
are using e-governance initiatives to bring about a positive change in the government citizen
interaction.

3.6 MODEL QUESTIONS

1. What are the different stages of e-governance?
2. What are the benefits of e-governance?
3. How digitization is helpful in the successful implementation of e-governance?
4. Discuss in details the six key questions that can be asked of any government agency in order
to assess how strategically prepared they are for e-governance.
5. There are thousands of ways in which intelligent bureaucrats and politicians around the world
are using e-governance initiatives to bring about a positive change in the government citizen
interaction.