India: e-Governance to transform ordinary life

India: e-Governance to transform ordinary life 19 June 2006

The unveiling of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) blueprint by the Union government of India is a step laden with huge significance. The ambitious project, costing Rs 23,000 crore, is to be implemented in the next five years at both the central and state levels. e-Governance projects both at the central and state-level are being implemented, some with a great degree of success. For instance, the Karnataka's government's five-year-old Bhoomi project, which undertook the computerisation of 20 million land records of 6.7 m land-owners and the Andhra Pradesh government's e-Seva project, which has made payment of bills for municipal services like water and electricity a hassle-free task for the common man. The NeGP has set its sights high by promising 'anytime, anywhere, access' through facilities like 100,000 common service centres in nearly six lakh villages by the end of next year. A tad ambitious target, but at least it will set the government on the road toward this goal. e-Governance has the capacity to transform ordinary lives and lend governments a citizen-friendly face.