Q. What do you understand by E-governance? Discuss the position of E-governance implementation in Bihar. [65th BPSC-2020]

Q. What do you understand by E-governance? Discuss the position of E-governance implementation in Bihar. [65th BPSC-2020]
Ans:
Electronic governance or e-governance is the application of information and communication technology (ICT) for delivering government services, exchange of information, communication transactions between customers, business and other stakeholders. ©crackingcivilservices.com

The primary role of e-governance is to simplify the process of governance, by making it more convenient, speedy, responsive, efficient, transparent and accountable using information and communication technology.
There are four pillars of E-Governance:
- People
- Process
- Technology
- Resources
Four types of models of e-governance are: (mention only briefly for this question.)
- Government to citizens: refers to delivery of services to citizens in an efficient and economical manner and to strengthen the relationship between government and citizens using technology.
  - Payment of online bills such as electricity, water, telephone bills etc.
  - Online registration of applications.
  - Copies of land-record.
  - Online filling of complaints.
- Government to government: This model refers to the services which are shared between the governments.
  - e.g. Khajane Project in Karnataka: It is a comprehensive online treasury computerization project of the Government of Karnataka.
- Government to employees: Through this model, bond between private sector and government increase.
  - The general information shared through this model are Collection of taxes, rejection and approval of patent, payment of bills and penalty, sharing of all kind of information, rules and data etc.
- Government to businessman:
  - This model increases the transparency between government and its employee. Here, employee can keeps a check on the functioning and working of government and government can keeps on its employees.

The position of E-governance implementation in Bihar:

Bihar has received as many as eight prestigious awards in the field of e-governance. e.g. In 2009, Bihar had won the e-governance gold medal from Union Ministry of Personnel (Administrative Reforms) for its project called ‘Jankari’ call centre.
The Centre for e-Governance was established in financial year 2005-06 with dual purpose. It is primarily responsibilities for conducting training programme information and communications technology but it also has an important role of providing internal information technology support.
The ICT infrastructure in the state has been strengthened through implementation of BSWAN, SecLAN, State Data Centre, Common Service Centres, Wi-Fi Projects, Aadhar, Bharat Net, etc. and expansion of IT Institutions.
An IT city in Rajgir (Nalanda), one IT tower and one IT park in Patna, Software Technology Park of India (STPI) in Darbhanga, Bhagalpur and Patna, Centre of National Institute of Electronic and Information Technology (NIELIT) in Bihta, Buxar and Muzaffarpur and Incubation Centre at IIT, Patna (Bihta) for Medical Electronics have either been completed or are in progress.
ICT plays an important role in Bihar through implementation of CCTN, Cyber Security, e-prison, CCTV and VC, Bihar Police Help Line, e-court, Child Labour Tracking System, e-Municipality Bihar, e-Office etc. to enforce law and order and speed up peaceful environment in the state.
ICT is being used for Public Finance Management as the State Government has implemented CFMS in 2019.
Nearly all the departments of the State Government have been running e-Governance programmes in the state. For example:
- e-Labharthi provides several e-services like social security pension, disability allowance, payments for dress and reading materials, and scholarship amount, etc. These services are provided by various departments like Education, Social Welfare, SC / ST Welfare, Backward and Most Backward Castes Welfare, Minority Welfare etc.
For smooth and leakage-proof management of food supply chain, an IT module has been developed to track doorstep delivery through GPS and SMS alert. There is also an IT module for grievance redressal of beneficiaries by the Project Management Unit.
- All procurement activities for paddy are being undertaken online through a procurement software and payment is being released within 48 hours through RTGS/ NEFT to registered farmers.
E-governance plays a crucial role in providing disaster-related services, both before and in response to the disasters.
- Disaster awareness is being ensured through the alerts sent to the citizens to prepare themselves for the disaster through WRD Scheme Implementation.
- The State Government is also using ICT for Monitoring System, Flood Forecast Model, River Behavioural Analysis Model, Embankment Asset Management System, Real-Time Data Acquisition System, Mathematical Modelling Centre, Distribution of Gratuitous Relief (GR) and Tatkal Sahayata, etc.
The State Government has implemented many e-governance programmes to provide transparent bidding and public procurement, and monitoring and evaluation of physical infrastructure projects.
- E-governance in Bihar also includes digitisation and updation of land records, skill development and employment promotion, support to enhance productivity, etc.
The State Government is also concerned about the climate change and environment, and many IT-enabled programmes related to Forest Management Information System have been initiated.
Other E-governance initiatives in Bihar:
- Online Grievance Registration for redressal
- Jankari: is a phone based RTI support system. RTI complaint can be registered and information can be attained.
- E-Kamaan: It is an e-governance project which helps to allot duty among home guards by district administration for maintenance of law and order.
- Bihar SPARROW : Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window System for all officers of Bihar.
- E-Municipality Bihar: for providing integrated end-to-end facilities to citizens in a transparent and time bound manner.
- E-Office: aims to usher in more efficient, effective and transparent inter-government and intra-government transactions and processes.
- Human Resource Management System (HRMS): It includes functions of record keeping and maintenance of personnel information, service agreement, other payable benefits etc.
- E-Niwas: for alloting government quarters through online application.
- GeM : Government e-Marketplace is implemented since April 01, 2018 in Bihar with the objective to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement.
- E-Procurement System : A real-time biding solution for buyers that enables users to participate in the tendering process by utilising the online solution of TENDERWIZARD.
- Online Enrollment in Electoral Roll:
  - Online enrollment in electoral rolls for new electors
  - Status check of enrollment
- Online Electricity Bill Payment:
  - Find your electricity bill details and arrear details
  - Application form for new electricity connection and other services
  - Online submission of grievance application
- e-Gazette:
  - Government notification and gazette
  - Gazette are in PDF format and easily downloadable and readable
  - Gazette are available in Hindi and English language
  - Search of gazette by entering their number
- Information and Public Relations Department:
  - State’s cabinet decisions on different issues in Hindi
  - Decisions are available in PDF format and easily downloadable
  - Latest press release and advertisement of Government of Bihar
- Website Directory:
  - Category wise listing of different institutions
  - Directory is categorized under- legislative, judiciary, executive, state government departments, school and colleges, districts of Bihar etc.
- Government Tender:
  - Tender notice of various departments of Government of Bihar
  - Get tender notice through mail
District e-Governance Societies headed by the District Collectors have been formed for implementing the e-Governance initiatives at the District level.
The Department of Information Technology, Govt. of Bihar is implementing this Project on the “Service Plus” Framework, developed by NIC, which is a Open Source and Web Enabled Service Delivery & Grievance management.
For the development and deployment of ICT based agricultural extension model, the Bihar Agricultural University, based in Bhagalpur has won ‘National e-Governance Awards 2020′ from central government.

Thus, Bihar has been consistently moving forward towards adoption of e-governance. However, a lot is to be done. In the first National e-Governance Service Delivery Index Assessment-2019 (NeSDA), Bihar has not been considered at all for the rankings as it failed to give adequate data for the assessment. Further, digital divide, high cost of implementation and operation of e-governance projects, concerns about the privacy and security of an individual’s personal data, lack of Local languages in e-governance application, hesitation to move from paper-based to a web-based system to interact are some of the main factors hindering the adoption of e-governance.

The way forwards would be creating an inclusive digital ecosystem, e-Literacy for inclusiveness, improvising accessibility for higher uptake, embracing new age technologies for improved service delivery and effective participation in the National e-Governance Plan. ©crackingcivilservices.com