Weakness in function of bureaucracy
- centralization of power
- excessive emphasis on implementation of rules/regulation
- too much hierarchy
- high secrecy
- red tapism
- goal displacement
- absence of citizen participation
- low quality of services provided by state
- complete absence of accountability mech
What is e governance
- use of info & commn tech to improve quality of service delivery mech
- WB defined: use by govt agencies of info tech (eg. WAN, Internet, mobile computing) that have ability to transform relations w/ citizens, businesses & other arms of govt
Steps
- computerization
- intra network & internet work
- online presence + interaction
Computerization
- replacing manual work w/ help of computer
- ministries + dept must have horizontal & vertical commn through intra + inter networks
online presence
- dev websites for all ministries and depts and PSU to provide necessary info to citizens
- interaction thru G2G, G2B, G2C
Problems in implementing e gov
- govt implemented e govt but not e governance
- 2nd ARC: e governance restricted only to computerization
- but all other governance reforms yet to be implemented incl reducing size of ministries/dept/hierarchy, CC, RTI, depoliticisation of civil services, implementation of social audit recommendations
- implementation of Sevottam
- NITI Aayog: e gov only led to digital divide
- only 29% population has access to broadband internet
- benefitted only urban mid class, affluent section
- exclusion of deserving sections of soc, esp from rural areas
What should be done?
- launch flagship schemes eg Bharat Net to address problems of digital infra
- 1,39,000 Cr will be spent
- connect all villages w/ high speed internet
- seek to bring broadband internet connectivity to more than 2.5L gram panchayat
- thru PPP
- govt will bear cost of infra
- pvt sector maintains
- implemented w/ village level entrepreneurs
Cyber Security
- 2nd ARC, NITI Aayog: india lacks behind west in terms of cyber sec measures
- india using 2nd gen tech, west is 5th gen
- GoI Report: 67% Indian govt essential services seen increment of 50% in cyber attacks
- ISRO: 100 cyber attack daily
- cyber attacks on premier insti eg AIIMS (health records hacked)
- RBI forced to cancel lakhs of debit card due to hacking
- 40% orgs (public + pvt) addressed problems related to cybersec
- recently, problems due to AI, Deepfakes
Mitigation
- govt recognized severity of problem
- Meity, National Electronics Governance Division has launched Cyber Surakshit Bharat Campaign to address problems of Cyber Security
- focus on PPP
- 2020: govt launched cybersec & cyber awareness campaign through more stringent cyber auditors
- cyber crime coordination center set up in 2020 to deal with all cyber crimes in comprehensive + coordinated manner
- mandatory for PSE, FI, pvt sector org to spend minimum amt of money on cybersec measures
- spl training to law enforcement agencies
- DPDP Bill
Other issues in e gov
- lack of awarenes
- digital literacy
- rural areas
- don’t know benefits
- methods
- soln
- CSO, NGO, Media, Pvt sector must actively spread awareness abt e gov
- simple mobile apps in vernaculars needed for ppl at lowest lower
- e gov can improve efficiency of service delivery mech but may not tackle corruption
- eg. CAG report: corruption in PM JAY
- same mobile number w/ 90k beneficiaries
- NREGA, fake accs created, funds diverted
Success of e governance
- IMF Report: india witness drastic improvement in service delivery mech due to DPI
- would’ve taken country 60 years for same progress w/o DPI
- last 10yrs, govt transferred 30L Cr into acct of million of beneficiaries w/o single rupee of corruption
-
1cr fake ration cards removed, state saved 3 lakh crores as subsidies