The National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) recently conducted its 24th edition, organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) and the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. The conference provided a platform for sharing ideas on advancing e-Governance technologies and adopted the ‘Hyderabad Declaration’ on e-Governance, aiming to bring citizens and governments closer through digital platforms and transform citizen services through technology.
The Objectives of NCeG Conference
The conference identified various points of strategic importance to advance e-Governance in India. It resolved that the Government of India and State Governments shall collaborate to employ technology to transform citizen services, fast track the implementation of national level public digital platforms in key sectors like health, education, and agriculture, operationalise data governance framework to facilitate data sharing within government entities and ensure resilient government infrastructure with robust technological solutions.
National E-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) 2021
In an effort to improve the landscape of e-Governance, the NeSDA 2021 will be adopted in collaboration with MeITY. This step is expected to greatly enhance the quality of e-Governance service deliveries across various government departments.
National e-Governance Awards 2021
To recognize the successful implementation of e-Governance initiatives, the National e-Governance Awards were presented during the Inaugural session. A total of 26 awards under six categories were distributed, rewarding initiatives from different parties including Central Ministries/Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, and Academic & Research Institutions.
Understanding e-Governance
E-Governance can be understood as the usage of Information and Communication Technology by the government to facilitate government services, exchange of information, communication transactions, and integration of standalone systems and services. It aims to make government administration more transparent and accountable while addressing society’s needs and expectations through efficient public services and effective interaction.
Types of Interactions in e-Governance
There are four types of interactions in e-governance – Government to Government (G2G), Government to Citizen (G2C), Government to Businesses (G2B) and Government to Employees (G2E). These interactions ensure the seamless exchange of information within the government and between the government and its stakeholders.
E-Governance Challenges
Even with the many advantages of e-Governance, challenges like lack of computer literacy, accessibility issues, loss of human interaction, risks of data theft and lax administration still exist.
E-Governance in the Indian Context
India has taken up numerous e-Governance initiatives at both Union and State levels. The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) formulated in 2006 aims at making all government services accessible to common people, ensuring efficiency, transparency and reliability of such services at affordable costs.
Way Forward
Moving forward, a hybrid approach enhancing interoperability among e-governance applications is needed. The e-governance initiatives in rural areas need to be further expanded considering the grassroots realities. Capacity building mechanisms for various stakeholders and the inclusion of regional languages in e-Governance platforms are also necessary measures to improve the overall efficacy of e-Governance in India.
