e-Governance expands to Electronic-Governance. The word “electronic” in the term e-Governance implies technology driven governance. E-Governance is the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for delivering government services, exchange of information communication transactions, integration various stand-one systems and services between Government-to-Citizens (G2C), Government-to-Business(G2B),Government-to-Government( G2G) as well as back office processes and interactions within the entire government frame work.
As explained earlier, e-governance is the use of a range of modern information and communication technologies such as Internet, local area networks, mobiles etc. by Government to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery and to promote democracy
Need for e-Governance
Countries have recognized Information Technology (IT) as an effective tool in catalyzing and achieving a efficient and effective governance. Hence, countries have made considerable investments in it and are successfully integrated it with their present policies and process, thereby reaping the benefits to their society. In India also these developments have been noted and considerable efforts have been undertaken by central and various state governments and their implementation agencies to deliver the benefits to the masses. This age of digital economy is continuously evolving and due to which, the concept of governance has also undergone lots of change with resulting in various questions to be answered by all stakeholders like
- How government can become more responsive and accessible?
- How can political and bureaucracy can provide better Government services
- How can the government use advanced technologies for transferring benefits, improving health care and education.
These questions have been addressed with adoption of e-governance. The e-Governance has consequently become an accepted methodology involving the use of Information Technology for
- Improving transparency
- Providing information speedily to all citizens at any time of the day
- Improving administration and bureaucratic efficiency
- Improving public services such as transportation, power, health, water and security.
- Accomplishing all the above in cost-effective manner
Today, a country like India, with 1.2 billion population, more than 600,000 villages, increasing aspirations of the citizens for better quality of life outlines the use of Information Technology in improving government processes has not just become vital but essential and without which it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to serve its citizens efficiently and transparently and ensure participation of larger number of people in decision making at all levels of Government – Centre, State and local.
