e-Governance

Transforming the Government

Presentation to World Bank Workshop

at New Delhi, June 09, 2010

Ashis Sanyal,Senior Director

Department of IT, Govt. of India

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Definition of e-Governance

e-Governance is a spectrum of technology inspired strategies adopted by governance to achieve

Transformation and efficiency in their administration

Agile and responsive service delivery

Strengthened transparency and accountability

An enhancement capacity to function

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Desired outcomes from e-Governance

Improved citizen service Capacity Development

Citizens – “Knowledge Society” Government – “Information Workers” Businesses – “New Economy”

Better integration of information Economic development Improved accountability / transparency Per Agency Benefits

Reduced cost Improved reliability and quality

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Is there any distinction between e-Governance and e-Government ?

e-Governance subsumes e-Government as Governance is a broader notion than government

e-Governance refers to processes which use ICT for enabling transactions between stakeholders and the government

e-Government reflects efficient delivery of services by using emerging technologies

e-Governance concept encompasses the State’s institutional arrangements, decision-making processes, relationships between government and public

e-Government reflects largely on improving administrative efficiency

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Features of Good Governance

Equity & inclusiveness of all citizens

Citizen-centric processes

Responsiveness of institutions & processes to all stakeholders

Greater participation by citizens

Accountability of decision makers to the public

Transparency through access to information

Effectiveness & efficiency of processes and institutions

Rule of Law – fair and impartial legal frameworks

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Benefits of e-Governance

Benefits of e-

Governance

Cost Reductions

Less Corruption

Increased Transparency

Revenue Growth

Greater Convenience

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ICT & e-Governance

Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are only an enabler in e-Governance.

Governments can leverage the ICTs to deliver information and services to citizens.

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e-Government

e-Government uses technology to transform relationships with

Citizens

Businesses and

Other government agencies

e-Government is

Not about ‘e’ but about Government

Not about computers & websites but about citizens & businesses

Not about translating processes but about transforming processes

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Types of e-Government Applications

Government

Government to Citizen(G2C)

Government to Business Enterprises

(G2B)

Government to Employee(G2E)

Government to Government(G2G)

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Government to Citizen (G2C) - I

G2C can be delivered either manually or online

Benefits to citizens from online services Cost & time saving

Better quality of service

Easy access to information

Multiple delivery channels

Possibility of self service

Less corruption

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Government to Citizen (G2C) - II

Examples

Issue of record of rights and mutation of land records

Issue of driving licences

Registration of property documents

Delivery of various municipal services

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Government to Citizen (G2C) - III

Objectives

Reducing administrative

corruption

Improving delivery of services to citizens

through a single window delivery

mechanism

Enhancing transparency of

Government activities

Empowering citizens through participation in decisions that

affect them and through effective feedback and

grievance redressal mechanisms

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Government to Citizen (G2C) - IV

Lower costs of accessing services

Enhanced quality of service and

greater convenience

Lower Corruption

Enhanced geographic coverage to reach larger

segments of the population

Direct Benefits

Reduced time for obtaining

service

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Government to Business Enterprises (G2B) - I

e-Governance provides considerable benefits to businesses, such as:

Greater ease of doing business with Government – Single Window Concept

Improved transparency and speed of services

Better investment climate

Hassle-free channels

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Government to Business Enterprises (G2B) - II

Benefits of Government

Tax collection

Customs

e-Procurement

Investments in such systems have a quicker payback due to increased revenue collection

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Government to Government (G2G) - I

G2G applications aim to improve data sharing and

communication among Government agencies through:

Automation of processes

Electronic workflow

Better monitoring of civil servants

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Government to Government (G2G) - II

Key benefits Increased efficiency through automation of work Improved mechanisms for performance monitoring Higher productivity by interconnecting government offices /

agencies by sharing data, documents and improve communication

Significant reduction in costs due to paperless environment Reduction in administrative burden of decision makers More informed decisions by Government due to readily

available, easily retrievable and effective analysis of information

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Government to Employee (G2E) - I

Examples Online services of payrolls Tax information Pension related services Gradation list Information on General Provident Fund Account Administration related government orders / circulars / rules etc. Human resource training and development

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Government to Employee (G2E) - II

Key benefits Empowering employees to manage their own transactions Significant reduction in administrative costs Increase transparency by providing vital, relevant information

to government employees on matters related to their employment

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Evolution of Government Services

Manual

Service Islands (Client –Server / LAN)

Connected Services (Wide Area Network)

Seamless Services (Connected Government)

E-Governance:Opportunities & Challenges

Opportunities in

e-Governance

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E-Governance provides opportunities to govern the least

What are the elements to enable e-government services 20% Technology 35% BPR / GPR 40% Changing Organizational Behaviour

Institutional Individual Legal

5% Luck !

In the above scenario is there any sense to make bad processes work faster through technology ?

Good governance is that which governs the least !

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Then what we should do ?

Allocate adequate time, effort & fund To re-engineer processes To changing organizational behaviour

We have to build capacity within for doing above We have to have commitment at the highest level

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e-Government provides opportunities to advance the agenda of good governance

Transparency Efficiency Fiscal Reforms Anti Corruption Empowerment Poverty reduction

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Governance Business Model is changing

Change Agent

Cost Reduction & Control

Downsizing/Restructuring

Cash Flow/Capital Assets Training

Access to Technical Skills

IncreasedFlexibility

Centers ofExpertise

TechnologyChanges

New Governance

Business Model

Business Changes

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Governance Environment is changing

Non-Core Competency Functions

High Cost / Low Productivity Functions

Layered Functions

Highly Leveragable Functions

Outsourcing is the new “Mantra”

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There are Opportunities to change Government Environment - I

Paradigm Shift in Procurement Processes Service procurement against Product procurement

ICT Imperatives – Government Online Technology GPR Change Management Legal Changes

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There are Opportunities to change Government Environment - II

Public - Private Partnership is the key ?

Public i.e., Government has to be the driving force behind partnership

Given the scale of required resources, PPPs are necessary to enlist private funds for public projects

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There are Opportunities to change Government Environment - III

PPP for core government functioning Structuring of Front-end Structuring of Back-end Middleware for all Technical, Financial and Management

parameters

Sustainability through PPP business models for reduction of cost of delivery of services

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Public Private-Partnership for changed Governance Business Model

Combining accountability with efficiency Pace of Implementation Resource Sharing Complexity & size of project Weathering the storm

Creating stakes outside system of Governance

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ICT can leverage PPP more efficiently

Private participation in ICT projects can enable scarce government resources to be used for other social services

Can improve efficiency of ICT use by bringing in innovative project design

Would delegate activities and risks to those best able to bear them – tasks and functions from outside rather than performed in-house

Sharing of knowledge, infrastructure, data Opportunity to

Use of specialist services Give longer term flexibility Increases capabilities and capacity

Challengesin

e-Governance Implementation

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Key Challenges for Government

Putting in place the right policies and strategies Creating, sustaining and strengthening the necessary

institutional mechanisms Ensuring robust and appropriate funding streams Resistance from vested interests Creating and nurturing administrative and political

capacities and structures to drive projects Getting multiple organizations and people to work together Creating, training, empowering, incentivizing and stabilizing

project leaders ICT Infrastructure

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Proper Conceptualization and Planning

Deploy adequate skill and expertise for proper conceptualization and planning

Allocate financial resources for Project Development Indicate clear objectives, define intermediate milestones and

identify ultimate deliverables Assess feasibility, risks and strategize Thrash out Implementation Plan

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Envisioning Realistic Mission

Strategize the Mission keeping in view of the limitations of Govt. processes.

Address the procedural, departmental, legal and even the constitutional constraints in the project implementation plan.

Propose solutions which are practical and achievable Avoid gap between Vision and Reality Manage the stakeholders’ aspirations efficiently

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Understanding Governance well to implement e-Governance

Appreciate the government processes and the institution of governance

Try to fit solutions in the governance needs subject to Governance Process Re-engineering

Realize that Governance is a complex structure having social, economic and political ramifications of every decision it takes

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Top Leadership to Initiate Reform

Lower strata adopted well so far Example: Railways, Public Sector Banks, Postal Services

Institutionalize the on-going reform process to remain unaffected with change of guard

Impart skills at the top levels to make them efficient ‘Change Agents’

Break the bottleneck at the Top of the Bottle

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Designing the Solutions as per the Need

Do not allow vendor-driven solutions to shadow or override your needs

Acquire requisite basic skills and expertise to understand your needs for hardware, software, databases, operating systems etc.

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Focusing on Governance rather than ‘e’

Appreciate that e-Governance is not about IT Remember that e-Governance is about

20% Technology 35% Govt. Process Re-engineering 40% Change Management 5% Luck

Focus on governance elements move, IT as an enabler for improved governance

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Identification of the Stakeholders

Identify all the Stakeholders in the project

Adopt outside-in approach rather than inside-out approach

Consult all stakeholders to capture their needs to make it win-win for every one of them

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Designing the Project with Realistic Timelines

Estimate the efforts properly to arrive at realistic timelines for the deliverables

Allow adequate time for training and adoption by stakeholders

Do not compromise quality in racing for unrealistic timelines After all, Rome was not built in a Day!

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Institutionalization of Project

Institutionalize the project processes after it is initiated by a Champion

Establish Project/ Program Management Units, wherever feasible

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Avoiding Procedural Loops

Design carefully the project processes Sometimes project approval processes take more time than

implementation

Establish Empowered Committee, wherever feasible in place of long approval processes

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Encouragement to Reformers

Adopt a policy to encourage Reformers

Carefully discourage “Doubting Thomases”

Incentivise lower level operating staff, wherever feasible

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Necessity of Back-office e-Governance

Address all the issues of back-office e-Governance at the planning stage

Integrate the back-office applications with front-office deliverables

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Sustainable Business Model

Design a sustainable business model, always

Adopt appropriate PPP model, wherever feasible Technology, Manpower, Other resources

Understand PPP to clarity PPP is not Public Money for Private Partners ! Appreciate the meaning of Partnership

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Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast

Do not initiate the Project for high-scale implementation

Do not take up Big Bang approach which proposes radical changes in the processes leading to high level of resistance and constraints

One needs to warn up before taking a race !

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Adequate Stakeholder Consultation

Consult Stakeholders as much as possible to capture their perception and expectation

Do not neglect any advocacy coming externally and even internally

Accommodate all suggestions as far as feasible to increase acceptability of the project at a later stage

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Centralized Initiative, De-centralized Implementation

Design ownership of the project appropriately

Carry out detailed Feasibility Study

Integrate necessary linkages for federal, state and local level governance activities

Initiate Pilot implementation with detailed Plan roll-out in phases

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Summary and Conclusion - I

In e-Governance it is possible to govern the least

There are opportunities to advance the agenda of good governance by providing transparency, efficiency, accountability, reliability and empowerment

There is an opportunity to provide paradigm shift in the entire government procurement processes

There is a possibility of utilizing external expertise, resources through PPP model

A “Connected Government” can be actually realized

e-Governance need be properly conceptualized and planned addressing the ground realities and constraints

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Summary and Conclusion - II

Will of Top Leadership is essential

Governance should get priority over IT systems

Stakeholders’ consultation is essential Institutionalization of the project is essential for its

sustainability Innovation should be encouraged and incentivised while

radical and big changes should be avoided as far as possible

Appropriate PPP model may be the key to success for most of the e-governance projects

Thank YouFor

Your Attention

ashis.sanyal@gmail.com

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Example G2C: BhoomiOnline Delivery of Land Records - I

Computerisation of land records in Karnataka (Bhoomi project) has reduced delivery time of records to farmers to just 15 minutes.

Bhoomi has improved the transparency and convenience of services First phase of computerisation of Bhoomi was completed in 2002 Printed copy of RTC can be obtained within minutes for a fee of Rs.15

only

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Example G2C: BhoomiOnline Delivery of Land Records - II

Project Features

7 million farmers

20 million land records

27,000 villages

Computer terminals operated by trained staff

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Example G2C: BhoomiOnline Delivery of Land Records - III

Key Benefits of Bhoomi:

200% increase in mutation requests

Rise in revenue

Greater efficiency in service delivery

Decrease in corruption

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Example G2B: MCA21

MCA21 e-Governance project launched by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in February, 2006 offers easy, secure services to businesses.

Services are delivered through 3 channels:

Virtual Front Offices (VFO) / MCA21 portal

Physical Front Offices (PFO)

Certified Filing Centres (CFC)

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Example G2B: MCA21

Key Services provided by the project

Registration and incorporation of a new company

Downloading of e-forms; annual and event-based filing of documents e.g., annual returns, balance sheets, profit and loss account statements etc.

Payment of penalty and fees

Tracking and redressal of complaints relating to shares, dividends, etc.

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Example G2B: MCA21

Benefits to Businesses:

Easy registration of companies & filing of returns

Elimination of middlemen

Greater transparency & speed

Better scrutiny & follow up

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Example G2B: MCA21

Benefits to Citizens:

Quick & easy access to records

Grievance redressal

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Example G2B: MCA21

Benefits to Financial Institutions:

Registration & verification of charges of companies

To the Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Better compliance with Company Law

800,000 balance sheets & annual returns have been filed by companies using MCA21 system

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Example G2G: KhajaneComputerisation of Treasuries in Karnataka - I

Key Features

Electronic Stamping of Bills

Online Budget System (OBS)

Rapid Data Transfer

Classification of Expenses

Khajane invloved networking of all 31 district and 185 sub-treasuries

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Example G2G: KhajaneComputerisation of Treasuries in Karnataka - II

Key Benefits:

Optimization / Reduction of Manpower

Reduction of Payment Approval Time

Rapid access to District-wise Data

Reduced scope for corruption

Timely, hassle-free payment of bills & pensions

Decrease in misappropriation and misclassification of funds

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Example G2E: e-PensionA Boon for retired government employees

e-Pension enables pensioners to determine the status and details of their monthly pension online and makes available complete details about their pensions for a 12-month period

e-Pension scheme eliminates issues of manual service delivery such as

Human errors and slow delivery time

Poor redressal mechanisms

Faulty payments