e-Governance

 The word “electronic” in the term e-Governance implies technology driven governance. 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-to-Citizens (G2C), Government-to-Business(G2B),Government-to-Government( G2G) as well as back office processes and interactions within the entire government frame work. Through the e-Governance, the government services will be made available to the 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 eGovernance there are no distinct boundaries.

Generally four basic models are available-Government to Customer (Citizen), Government to Employees, Government to Government and Government to Business;

e-Governance is a form of public administration making “use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance the access and delivery of government services to benefit citizens, employees and management of urban local bodies.” It aims to “help strengthen government’s drive toward effective governance and increase transparency to better manage social and economic resources for development.”

Government of India (GoI) has launched a National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). NeGP intends to institute and enable mechanisms to improve the system of governance and thus provide better services to the citizens by effective use of ICT.

The key objectives of the e-Governance initiative are to:

§  Provide single window system for delivery of services and information to citizens.

§  Provide integrated and simplified services to citizens on any time, anywhere basis.

§  Decentralize service delivery and improve accessibility of information to citizens.

§  Increase the efficiency and productivity of ULBs.

§  Re-engineer processes for better service delivery.

§  Integrate data and services of various departments.

§  Enhance  efficient inter-departmental coordination.

§  Provide timely and reliable management information relating to municipal administration for effective decision-making.

§  Adopt a standards-based approach to enable integration with other related applications.

Example: e-Governance in Municipalities

The broad aim for implementing e-Governance in municipalities is to:

• Focus on clearly identified citizen services that would be covered with clearly laid down service levels and outcomes to be achieved.

§  Improve efficiency and effectiveness in interaction between local  government and its citizens and other stakeholders.

§  Improve quality of internal local government operations and management information systems to support and stimulate good governance.

§  Bring about transparency and accountability in urban local body operations.

§  Help improve reach of the delivery of services to citizens.

  Following services are to be covered under this reform:

• Basic citizen services: Birth and death registration and health programs.
• Revenue earning services: Property tax and licenses.
• Development services: Water supply and other utilities, building plan approval.
• Efficiency improvement services: Procurement and monitoring of projects.
• Back office improvements: Accounting and personnel management system.
• Monitoring:  Citizen grievance redressal.

E-Governance is the future, many countries are looking forward to for 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 system to support the essence of E-governance, whereby the Government realizes the efficacy of its governance. E-governance is by the governed, for the governed and of the governed.

Establishing the identity of the end beneficiary is a true challenge in all citizen-centric services. Statistical information published by governments and world bodies do not always reveal the facts. 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.