E-Governance

Notes

E-governance is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver government services, exchange information and improve efficiency, transparency and accountability.

Types of interaction: G2C (Government to Citizen), G2B (Business), G2G (Government), G2E (Employees).

Milestones

1976: National Informatics Centre (NIC) set up; NICNET (1987).
2006: National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) with Mission Mode Projects (e.g., e-Courts, MCA21, passports, income tax, banking).
2015: Digital India; e-Kranti replaced NeGP 2.0.
Platforms: Common Service Centres (CSCs), UMANG, DigiLocker, MyGov, PFMS, GeM (Government e-Marketplace), e-Office, CPGRAMS, eCourts.
State initiatives: Andhra Pradesh e-Seva, Karnataka Bhoomi (land records), Gujarat e-Dhara.

Second ARC (11th Report): "Promoting e-Governance: The SMART Way", for Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent governance. The IT Act, 2000 gives legal recognition to electronic records and signatures.

Benefits: efficiency, reduced corruption and leakages (DBT), convenience, inclusion. Challenges: the digital divide, poor connectivity and digital literacy, cybersecurity, privacy, and resistance to change.

Key Points

E-governance: ICT for governance; G2C, G2B, G2G, G2E.
NeGP (2006); Digital India (2015).
Examples: Bhoomi (Karnataka), e-Seva (AP), CSCs.
SMART governance (Second ARC).
Challenges: digital divide and cyber security.

MCQs

Q2. In SMART governance, "M" stands for: (a) Modern (b) Moral (c) Mobile (d) Managed Ans: (b). Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, Transparent.

Q3. The "Bhoomi" project of e-governance relates to: (a) Land records in Karnataka (b) Property tax in Delhi (c) Passport services (d) Court records Ans: (a).