Learn Operating Web Based Application ”E-Governance” for CBSE Class 10 and 12, Lesson 5

E-Governance

E-Governance or electronic governance is the use of electronic form i.e. information and communication technology (ICT) tools for governance by the government for the citizens. The ICT tools include the Internet, Local Area Network (LAN), mobiles etc. The use of ICT facilitates provides access to information to the citizens by the government. The government has set up ICT enabled services, like, registration of birth/death certificate, booking of railway tickets, RTI application submission etc. E-governance empowers the citizens socially and economically, and enhances their lives by providing them with quality of information and better services. It enables citizens to access information directly, without paying any money to a middleman or a tout. It ushers transparency in the system. The services of the e-governance portal can be broadly classified into two broad categories – to provide information and to provide online services.

Initiative

In India, the main thrust for e-Governance was provided by the launching of NICNET in 1987 – the national satellite-based computer network. This was followed by the launch of the District Information System of the National Informatics Centre (DISNIC) program to computerize all district offices in the country for which free hardware and software was offered to the State Governments. NICNET was extended via the State capitals to all district headquarters by 1990. In the ensuing years, with ongoing computerization, tele-connectivity and internet connectivity established a large number of e-Governance initiatives, both at the Union and State levels.The formulation of National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DEITY) and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DAR&PG) in 2006 has boosted the e-Governance process.