This an e-governance vision for India by 2020 by an e-governance researcher and consultant. India is already Internet nation no.4 in the world and is destined to become Internet nation no. 1 in the world in due course of time. However, if the steps suggested in this presentation are taken, not only will it hasten the process but provide firm foundations to e-government.

1. An E-governance Vision for India
by 2020
by
Dr D.C.Misra
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 1

2. One-Day Seminar on
E-governance
G.V.M Institute of Technology and
Management,
Sonepat, Haryana,
Saturday, May 23, 2009
at 9-30 a.m., www.gvmgc.org
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 2

3. An E-governance Vision for India by
2020
by
Dr D.C.Misra, I.A.S. (Retd.)
Formerly Chief Knowledge Officer, Republic of Mauritius, Port Louis, under
the aegis of Commonwealth Secretariat, London, and
Chairman, Task Force for ICT Policy for Government of National Capital
Territory of Delhi
• Address: C-183 Madhuvan, Madhuvan Marg, New Delhi-110092
• Tel: 22452431; Tel/Fax: 42445183
• Email: dc_misra@hotmail.com
• Blog: http://egov-india.blogspot.com
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 3

4. Overview
I. INTRODUCTION
II. THE ROADMAP
III. CONCLUSION
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 4

5. I. INTRODUCTION
 A vision is a mental map of future.
 It is not necessarily a projection in future as it could
be something entirely new.
 It is part dream, part reality.
 It is a dream because it is wishful thinking, but it is a
dream grounded in reality.
 It is essential for a country to have a vision, failing
which it will not know where is it going.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 5

6. WHAT IS VISION?
 A vision should also be brief, sharp and pin-pointed.
 It should capture the imagination of all the
stakeholders.
 The stakeholders should also have faith in it.
 To develop a vision, the present should be carefully
analysed and the organization projected in future,
say after 10 years or 15 years. Then a roadmap has
to be drawn for realizing the vision.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 6

7. REALISING THE VISION
ROADMAP
Situation
Vision
Analysis
How to go there?
Where are we? Where we want to go?
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 7

8. Planning Commission:
Vision for 2020
 In India, a committee appointed by the Planning
Commission came out with a Vision for 2020 (PC 2002).
 It devoted a full chapter, Chapter 8, to Governance.
 The report with regard to e-government, among other things
noted:
 “E-government will improve responsiveness and reduce
corruption in some areas.
 Computerisation of information systems coupled with
downsizing, higher recruitment standards and stricter
discipline will increase administrative efficiency.” (ibid: 90).
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 8

9. What should be India’s vision for e-
governance?
 A number of competing ideas come to the fore.
 For example, vision could be good governance, an objective
which has been eluding India’s policy makers during last
more than six decades when India became independent.
 Or it could be eradication of India’s chronic poverty (which,
given sound policies, has no reason to exist).
 But these are only objectives, worthy of attainment as they
are, which could follow if we have a sound vision for e-
governance.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 9

10. Our Vision for E-governance in India
by 2020
MAKE INDIA
INTERNET NATION NO. 1
IN THE WORLD.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 10

11. What is Internet Nation?
 The community of Internet users in a country.
 It represents a “critical mass” for ushering good
governance through e-governance
 The community is overwhelmingly young being in
the age group of 18-35 years
 The community is full of ideas for making our world
a better place.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 11

12. II THE ROADMAP
 Sweden has a vision to be a “prominent Internet nation in
2015.” (IVA 2008).
 The country proposes to realize this vision through a
proposed programme called “Ambient Sweden.”
 The vision document suggests a number of measures under
the programme.
 By taking these measures, for example,
 “Sweden can, by 2015, be a leader in mobile Internet,
 be best at e-administration and green IT, and also
 be regarded as a pioneer within digital media distribution.”
(ibid: 4).
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 12

13. Make India the Internet Nation No.1
in the World
 India is currently world’s “Internet Nation No. 4, with some
81 million Internet users (Table 1).
 It registered a phenomenal growth of 1520% during
2000-2008.
 However, it had an unsatisfactory Internet penetration of
7.1% (that is, number of Internet users as percentage of
population).
 Also, its share as percentage of world Internet users was
mere 5.1% which is not commensurate with its size of
population.
 India can emerge as the Internet Nation No.1 in the world if
appropriate policies are put in place to improve Internet
penetration in India.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 13

14. Make India the Internet Nation No.1
in the World
Table 1 Top Five Countries with the Highest Number
of Internet Users 2009
S.N Country Population Users %Populati %Growth % of
2008 est (Latest on 2000-2008 World
Data- (Penetrati Users
million) on)
1 China 1.3 billion 298 22.4 1,244.4 18.7
2 U.S. 304 million 227 74.7 138.3 14.2
3 Japan 127 million 94 73.8 99.7 5.9
4 India 1.15 billion 81 7.1 1,520.0 5.1
5 Brazil 196 million 68 34.4 1,250.2 4.2
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 14

15. 2. But Look After the SMS Nation
 The growth of cell phones, also called mobile phones, in
India has taken every one by surprise.
 The number of wireless subscribers in India stood at 392
million in March 2009 (as against wireline subscribers of 38
million, giving total number of 414 million subscribers) (TRAI
2009).
 “Cell Phone Nation” does not require Internet connectivity.
 This SMS Nation, independent of Internet, requires to be
looked after by e-government by providing SMS-based e-
government.
 In this mode e-government will reach citizens who have no
Internet connectivity.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 15

16. 3. Make E-government Citizen-centric
and Criteria-based
 E-government as currently conceived and practiced in India
is not citizen-centric and criteria-based.
 This denies citizens the benefits of e-government. E-
government thus loses its one of the basic premises of
introduction of e-government, namely, helping citizens in his
relationship with the state.
 Secondly, the lack of citizen-centricity in e-government acts
as a spanner in the faster growth of Internet penetration in
India.
 An attempt has been made to define citizen-centric criteria-
based e-government (Misra 2007).
 Unless citizen is brought to the centre stage in e-
government, e-government is unlikely to make the desirable
progress.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 16

17. 4. Make E-government Pro-Poor
 If e-government does not serve the poor, it fails in one of its
basic promises, namely, helping the poor.
 E-government helps the poor in two significant ways.
 Firstly, indirectly, by making administrative processes
transparent and thus minimizing the scope of corruption.
 Secondly, directly, by direct service delivery to the poor.
 In the first category fall measures like computerization of
land records which eliminates middle men.
 In the second category fall schemes like the employment
guarantee scheme under NREGA.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 17

18. 5. Formulate National ICT Innovation
Policy
 The relevant public policy space in India is currently
occupied by a number of policies like
 National Telecom Policy 1994,
 IT Policy 1998 (since implemented),
 Science and Technology (S&T) Policy 2003,
 Broadband Policy 2004,
 Policy on Open Standards for E-government 2008, and
 ICT Policy for Schools 2009? (under formulation).
 There is, however, no National ICT Innovation Policy. (Figure
1).
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 18

19. Formulate National ICT Innovation
Policy
 Department of Science and Technology (DST) has proposed a
national innovation bill (DST 2008), but its focus is not on ICT
but understandably on S&T.
 Its preamble states: “An Act to facilitate public, private or
public- private partnership initiatives for building an
Innovation support system to encourage Innovation, evolve
a National Integrated Science and Technology Plan and
codify and consolidate the law of confidentiality in aid of
protecting Confidential Information, trade secrets and
Innovation.” (ibid.).
 Absence of a national ICT innovation policy hampers the
growth of entrepreneurship among the youth in the ICT
sector and deprives e-governance of innovativeness in
serving the citizens.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 19

20. Formulate National ICT Innovation
Policy
S&T Policy 2003 National ICT
Innovation Policy
Policy on Open Standards
ICT Policy for Schools
for
2009?
E-government 2008
IT Policy
1998
National Telecom Broadband Policy 2004
Policy 1994
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 20

21. 6. Formulate National ICT Policy for
Schools
 There is an urgent need to formulate the national information and
communication technology (ICT) policy for schools without further
delay. Its importance is threefold.
 First, schools are where the future of India, say in 2020, is being
developed. If school children become IT literate, they will strengthen the
Indian “IT nation.”
 Secondly, IT literacy has already become an essential educational
requirement. As such entry of ICT in schools can no longer be delayed.
 Lastly, ICT offers a management tool for schools.
 In India less than 10% of schools have Internet or broadband
connectivity and less than 5% have IT labs (ET 2009).
 The earlier efforts to formulate an ICT policy for schools got mired into
controversy (Vishnoi 2008).
 Time has come now to finalise this pending policy.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 21

22. 7. Do Not Repeat Failed
E-government Projects
 One of characteristic, and very beneficial, features of e-government is
that experience in one state is highly relevant to another state.
 This is primarily due to similarity in organizational structures under
which e-government is planned and implemented.
 Yet lessons learnt in one state are not being learnt by another.
 As a result precious resources, financial, physical and manpower, go
waste.
 Take, for example, the case of making cities unwired.
 In 2006, reports Raghu (2009:8), Bangalore and Pune declared they
would offer city-wide broadband access-on-the-move to their citizens
through a public-private partnership model.
 After three years, the projects have been abandoned primarily because
the projects were unviable, and the requisite services were increasingly
being made available by private parties.
 There is thus no point in undertaking any unwiring projects in our cities
without having sustainable business model.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 22

23. 8. Issue Citizen ID Card
 Issue of citizen identity (ID) card is a controversial issue.
 According to Privacy International, a London-based not-for-profit organization,
“around a hundred countries have official, compulsory, national IDs that are
used for a variety of purposes.
 Many developed countries, however, do not have such a card.
 Amongst these are the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland,
the Nordic countries and Sweden.
 Those that do have such a card include Germany, France, Belgium, Greece,
Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.” (PI 1996).
 In India, a citizen ID card is a necessity as it
 (i) recognizes the existence of a citizen, irrespective of his socio-economic status,
and
 (ii) thus connects the citizen with the state. The state is thus forced to think in
terms of his welfare.
 This identity is far more valuable than the fear of intrusion by the state in a
citizen’s privacy or any other argument against issue of such cards.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 23

24. 9. Involve People in Developing Agenda for Good Governance
Through E-government
 Governance is about good governance and e-government is
a tool to secure good governance for the citizens.
 Citizens are not involved in developing agenda for good
governance.
 The U.S. government has taken an innovative step in setting
up a portal – recovery.gov- in the wake of the ongoing
recession and the steps being taken by it to rejuvenate the
economy.
 The portal proclaims: “This is your money. You have right to
know where it’s going and how it’s being spent.” This is $787
billion bail-out money.
 Such a step directly involves citizens in governance and is
thus worthy of emulation by others.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 24

25. 10. Nurture E-democracy
 E-democracy, or democracy online, is fast becoming a
reality.
 More and more people are now interacting with the state or
fellow citizens on public issues online.
 The U.S. President Barrack Obama made brilliant use of the
Internet in his Presidential campaign.
 He also came out with an ambitious agenda for e-
governance (Misra 2008) which he has been successfully
implementing so far.
 For India’s Parliamentary election in May 2009, it was
suggested that e-governance should be included in election
manifesto (Misra 2009).
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 25

26. 11. Care for E-citizen
 The rise of e-citizen, a citizen who accesses the state online
(that is, on the Internet), is now a reality.
 The state is now required to look after his interests.
 Misra (2009: 61) has suggested a 10-point agenda in this
regard:
 Constitution of India (Amend the Constitution to provide
rights and duties of e-citizens),
 Right to E-governance (Enact Right to E-governance Act on
the lines of Right to Information Act),
 Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 (Delete Section 9 of
the Act,
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 26

27. Care for E-citizen
4. Right to Information (RTI) Act (Integrate Right to Information (RTI) Act
with E-governance),
5. E-citizen Charter (Provide E-citizen Charter on the lines of Citizen
Charter),
6. E-petitions (Provide for e-petitions in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and
Chief Minister’s Offices (CMOs),
7. E-engagement Tools (Provide e-engagement tools on official websites
discussion groups, blogs, and wiki),
8. Call Centres (Set up call centres for public service delivery),
9. Standardisation (Standardise e-government websites), and
10. Grievance Redress Architecture (Integrate online public service delivery
with the citizen grievance architecture).
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 27

28. 12. Promote ICT Entrepreneurship
 India has taken initiatives in Venture Funding
 National Venture Fund for Software and IT Industry
(NFSIT) (SIDBI, MIT & IDBI)
 SIDBI Venture Fund Ltd. (Rs. 100 crore/ US$ 22.22
million ) (1999)
 10-year Closed Fund
 State level Venture Funds
 SME Growth Fund (Rs 500 crore) (2004)
 SIDBI and Public Sector Banks
 8-year Fund
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 28

29. III CONCLUSION
Vision:
MAKE INDIA INTERNET NATION NO. 1 IN THE WORLD
How?
• Nurture the emerging Internet Nation in India.
• Nurture the emerging SMS Nation in India.
• Make E-government Citizen-centric and Criteria-based.
• Make E-government Pro-Poor.
• Formulate National ICT Innovation Policy.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 29

30. MAKE INDIA INTERNET NATION NO. 1 IN THE
WORLD
• Formulate National ICT Policy for Schools
• Do Not Repeat Failed E-government Projects
• Issue Citizen ID Card
• Involve People in Developing Agenda for Good
Governance through E-government
• Nurture E-democracy
• Care for E-citizen. Adopt the 10-point agenda for
E-citizen.
• Promote information and communication
technology (ICT) entrepreneurship
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 30

31. 10-Point Agenda for E-citizen
S.N. Feature Action
1 Constitution of India Amend the Constitution to provide rights
and duties of e-citizens
2 Right to E-governance Enact Right to E-governance Act on the
lines of Right to Information Act
3 Information Delete Section 9 of the Act
Technology (IT) Act,
2000
4 Right to Information Integrate Right to Information (RTI) Act
(RTI) Act with E-governance
5 E-citizen Charter Provide E-citizen Charter on the lines of
Citizen Charter
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 31

32. 10-Point Agenda for E-citizen
S.N. Feature Action
6 E-petitions Provide for e-petitions in Prime Minister’s Office
(PMO) and Chief Minister’s Offices (CMOs)
7 E-engagement Provide e-engagement tools on official websites
Tools discussion groups, blogs, and wiki.
8 Call Centres Set up call centres for public service delivery
9 Standardisation Standardise e-government websites, and
10 Grievance Redress Integrate online public service delivery with the
Architecture citizen grievance architecture.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 32

33. CONCLUSION
Our vision is to make India Internet Nation
No.1 in the world by 2020
A roadmap has been suggested to realise this
vision.
A 10-point agenda for E-citizen forms the
essence of the roadmap.
Given appropriate policy responses there is
no reason why the vision should not be
realised.
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 33

34. End of Presentation
Any questions? Have a nice day!
Thank You.
-- Dr D.C.Misra, May 23, 2009
E-governance Vision for India by 2020
(c) Dr D.C.Misra 2009 GVMITM, Sonepat, May 23, 2009 34