Ram Rattan Sharma
The term e-Governance, also known as e-Government, digital governance or online governance, refers to Government’s use of information and communication technology to exchange information and services with citizens, businesses, and other arms of Government. e-Governance may be applied by legislature, judiciary, or executive, in order to improve internal efficiency, the delivery of public services, or processes of democratic governance. The primary delivery models are Government -to- citizens or Government to customers, Government to business and Government to Government. The most important anticipated benefits of e-Government include improved efficiency, convenience, and better accessibility of public services. While e-Governance is often thought of as “online governance” or “internet based governance” many non- internet based “election governance” technologies can be used in this context, including telephone. Fax, PDA, SMS text messaging MMS, and 3G, GPRS, WIFI, WIMAX and Bluetooth. Other technologies can include CCTV, tracking systems, RFID, Biometric identification, road traffic management and regulatory enforcement, identify cards, smart cards and other NFC applications; polling station technology, TV and radio-based delivery of Government services, email, online communication, facilities, newsgroups and electronic mailing lists, online chat, and instant messaging technologies.
E-Governance promotes development and application of information and communication technology for sustainable development facilitates, collaboration among national Government regional, International and multilateral development organizations, UN agencies, educational research organisations, civil society groups and the private sector in integrating ICTS in the development process. It does so by employing a dynamic mix of awareness raising strategies. Capacity building, technical assistance and advice, research and development, knowledge sharing and partnership building. It provides information and services on the internet, which opens up a way for citizens to contact the Government that was not available a decade ago. There are a variety of associated benefits, including expanded information sharing between citizens and their Governments. Citizens with internet access are more likely than non- internet users to contact the Government. Indeed, the simplicity of e-mail makes it possible for people to be in regular contact with their Governments. Internet usage undoubtedly improves their relationship with the Government. It helps in providing insight and knowledge on the changing nature of Governments in our growing technology infrastructures. It develops sets of best practices on how best to use technologies to implement the goals and objectives of the public administration. Much of the focus is on the multitudes of information and administrative policies that will be needed as developing countries increasingly implement new technologies; It provides industry focused services to public and private clients. Specialists from the tax and advisory teams, connect their thinking, experience and solutions to build public trust and enhance value for clients and their stakeholders, e-Governance cannot only improve productivity potential but also address some of the root causes for corruption. It enables citizens to gain access to vital facilities, industrial development, employment, data protection and regulations of the mass media.
Problems:- There are limits of e-Government related to people’s technological assets, preferences, and the wide range of problems, people bring to Government, for example, only a minority in urban areas and hardly anyone in rural areas has internet access. For the vast majority of the population that is not online, phone calls, in person visits or letter writing are the options available for contacting the Government. In addition, many people simply do not choose to use the web or e-mail to get in touch with the Government. Interestingly, most people, including those with internet access, still prefer to use the telephone to contact the Government. And, people tend to prefer to use the telephone to contact the Government. And, people tend to prefer “real time” interaction with Government personnel, via telephone calls or in person visits, when dealing with urgent or complex problems. Thus, while e-gov. is a helpful tool among several options for reaching out to the Government, it is by no means the only or major one among them.
Various studies have shown that multi stakeholders partnerships have led to the high success rates of the e-Governance and ICT for development initiatives. The success of partnerships often depends on the level of personal interaction among the practitioners rather than institutional structures, The development and implementation of e-Government involves consideration of its effects including environmental, social, cultural, educational, and consumer issues, among others. Governments need to pay attention to the “digital divide”, or the effect of non-use, non- availability or inaccessibility of e-Government, or of other digital resources, upon the structure of society, and the potential impact on income and economics.
There are also management issues related to service integration, local e-Government, internet governance and financial considerations, such as the cost of implementation/ effect on existing budgets, effect on Government and funding, legal implications include freedom of information and privacy concerns, 80 percent of needs for rural citizens pertain to health, education and agriculture which need to be addressed primarily through other means, e-Governance is hardly of any use in such matters. There is also an urgent need to have a comprehensive plan against security threats and cyber crimes, because lot of sensitive and important information is kept on the net. Even the most sophisticated and advanced organizations like NASA have become victims of hackers and cyber criminals. There are many considerations and potential implications of implementing and designing e-Government, including disintegration of the Government and its citizens, impact on economic, social, and Pol factors, and disturbances to the status quo in these areas. While efforts to provide e-Government should be encouraged, it would be wise also to maintain and upgrade the other channels, that citizens use to contact Government with a focus on how these traditional channels may implement e-gov. applications.
Govts across the world are in the process of charting out comprehensive e-Government strategies as per their national priorities. However, e-Government is a resource intensive activity and Governments, particularly in developing and under developed world, having limited resources need to share their knowledge and experiences to enhance the possibility of success of e-Government projects. The experiences of the developing countries, will help under developed countries, effectively plan their strategies and e-Government. As the Indian economy is booming and is being predicted to be going stronger in future, it has become absolutely essential for our Government to be effective, transparent and accountable in order to increase India’s over all competitiveness internationally . Good governance is imperative for developing countries to be progressive, and e-Government supports Good governance. Though India is trying to catch up with the developed nations, there are issues like corruption, lack of infrastructure, which are hampering its growth, e-Government could play a very important role to battle all these problems and thus lead to enhanced global competitiveness.
(The author is former Dy Librarian of Jammu University).
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