E-governance transcends mere technological integration; it is a paradigm shift that underscores the profound significance of information’s ‘use value.’ Beyond the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, the essence of e-governance lies in harnessing the power of information to enhance governance efficiency and public service delivery. In this context, ‘use value’ encapsulates the strategic utilization of information to inform decision-making processes, foster transparency, and empower citizens. Unlike traditional governance models, where information was often confined to bureaucratic silos, e-governance promotes a holistic approach, emphasizing the seamless flow of information across government departments. The ‘use value’ is realized through data-driven insights, facilitating evidence-based policymaking and enabling responsive governance. Thus, the transformative potential of e-governance lies not only in the deployment of technology but also in leveraging information as a catalyst for informed, inclusive, and effective governance.
Tag: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance, applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability, and institutional and other measures.
Decoding the Question:
- In the Introduction, try to define E-governance briefly.
- In Body,
- Discuss how E-governance is not only about the utilization of new technology but also the ‘use value’ of information.
- Use various government schemes and examples to substantiate content.
- In Conclusion, try to write about the overall importance of E-governance.
Answer:
E-governance or electronic governance implies the application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to government According to the World Bank, e-governance refers to the use by government agencies of information technologies (such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) that can transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.
Criteria that define the use value of information include:
- Accuracy/precision/correctness: Information should be precise and close to reality. Also, information should be free of distortion, bias, or errors.
- Consistency: The information should be free of contradictions or convention
- Applicability: Information should be able to be applied
- Clarity/format: Information should be well, understandable, and presented to the user.
- Comprehensiveness/completeness: The scope of information should be There should be not too much nor too little information
- Conciseness: The information should be to the point and should be void of unnecessary elements
- Convenience: The information should correspond to the user’s needs and habits
- Traceability: The background of the information should be traceable, such as the user data, and author
- Accessibility: The information should be continuously accessible without not too many obstructions
- Timeliness/Speed: The information should be processed and delivered rapidly without delays. The information should also match the user’s working pace
Utilization of the Power of New Technology:
- E-Governance has moved beyond government departments. It is about transforming the way governments work and reinventing people’s participation in the democratic process.
- It allows various businesses to transact with each other more efficiently (B2B) and brings customers closer to businesses (B2C); it also aims to make the interaction between government and citizens (G2C), government and business enterprises (G2B), and inter-agency relationships (G2G) more friendly, convenient, transparent, and inexpensive.
- The government of India has unveiled various programs with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Example: Digital India, Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (BAS), Jeevan Pramaan, National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM), e-book platform, e-bhasha, digital locker, E-basta, E-bhasha, E-post, E-sampark, Mobile Seva, My Gov, National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM), National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN), Biometric Attendance System (BAS), etc.
- Schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana provide financial inclusion to unbanked people enabling banking, pension (PMSBY and PMJJBY), and insurance (Atal Pension Yojana) services to citizens and digitally empowering them.
- Aadhaar is one example of digital amplification bringing a massive number of users onto a common digital platform. The data generated through Aadhaar-based identification is helping the government maintain health records under its ambitious programs like the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme which is accessible to all citizens.
- Big data gathers information from various sources through various agencies leading to insightful decisions to vibrantly transform citizen services. It enables a seamless digital transformation for its customers through e-governance initiatives and collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including the government.
Creating a strong infrastructure for ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach in perfect sync with the government’s initiatives can open multiple possibilities. The ‘use value’ of information plays an essential role as a facilitator in removing the uncertainties associated with the development and growth of the country. Therefore, the focus of e-governance should not only be limited to efficiently utilizing new technologies but it should also be oriented toward ensuring good governance using the information gathered.
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