Inspire India

Report On
E-Governance Strategies for Collaborative Government
(Theme: E-Governance)

Team ID: IP1024

By:

Gyanendra Singh Girish Tiwari

Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design & Manufacturing Jabalpur

November 25, 2012

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Abstract
The current economic situation in India is quite worrisome as we watch helplessly the growth momentum slipping rapidly on account of high inflation and loss of business confidence because of failure of governance and corruption in high places. Though E-Governance is not the solution to every problem yet a more collaborative government formed WITH the citizen instead of FOR the citizen will help India. The important problems facing India are corruption, the use of manual procedures everywhere in government leading to delay of work, no access to information for investors and large amount of time required to process the applications overall leading to inefficiency of the government and loss of the nation. Cramped spaces; shabby ambience; discourteous dealing personnel and their chronic absenteeism; demands of gratification; inefficiency in work; long queues; procrastinating officials; procedural complexities; etc., are some of the undesirable features of the working of the government departments. The problem is not restricted to one field so we have tried to solve the problems in multiple fields that need to adopt E-Governance models.

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E- model for Speed Post

Ideas in mind:
The Indian postal network is among the largest networks in the world in terms of area covered and population served, and constitutes an important mechanism of achieving transportation and communication. India has the largest Postal Network in the world with over 1, 55,015 Post Offices. As on 31.03.2009 on an average, a Post Office serves an area of 21.21 Sq. Km and a population of 7175 people. User charges in the postal system cover only 78.3 per cent of costs. There is a significant subsidy element. The total deficit of department as in 2011 was pegged at 13752 Million. The odd thing about post offices is, although having quite large numbers but still we can see long queues in the post offices. Moreover the efficiency of the post offices is very poor. Secondly, how to minimize the deficit so that post offices can earn more profit. The solution to both the problems is common.

Technical Feasibility:
Since only 11% of the post offices cater to the vast urban population of India, so long queue is a common affair. The problem is how to end these queues. Here is a strategy through which we try to minimize the queues as well as reduce the cost per parcel/ speed post. The steps are as follows: An online common platform is made for Indian Post offices with payment portal attached to it. The user logs to the said website. The website gives the facility of doing speed post anywhere in India charged at Standard rate of post offices. The user fills on website the required data i.e. currently residing pin code of the user, where the speed post is to be sent and his details including phone number as written on the envelope. This serves as the record for the department. The user confirms the details. The payment portal appears, you pay the specified amount. The print out will contain following information- a) the

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name and address where you are sending the speed post. B) Your name and address (as a receipt) c) the bar code. All the three above mentioned are stick on speed post envelope and that speed post is dropped to the nearest post office (A simple 'drop and run' box can be used just like we use in ordinary posts). Where it can be simply processed through the bar code given by online transaction.

To define the area of the user, pin code can be asked by the portal just for a reference.

Flow of Operation:

User opens the post office portal

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3 4 5 6 7

Selects the speed post option and logs into his personal account created on that portal.

Enters the required data for speed post (Eg: Sender's details, Recipient's details )

Confirms the operation and makes online payment through the payment portal directly attached to the website.

Thereafter a receipt is generated. The User prints that receipt and sticks it onto the envelope.

Envelope is dropped into a special box located outside the post office.

Post office on a fix interval gets the posts through that box and process it online using the barcode generated at the time of online transaction of the user.

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Talking in terms of technical feasibility, our proposed system makes use of existing technologies and thereafter combining them. The post office is a basic need of a citizen. The report by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB said that the number of claimed Internet users has seen a growth of 16 per cent over last year. This number is estimated to grow up to 150 million by December 2012. India is growing in internet segment rapidly; hence the online systems will have quite a success rate with serving more customers with fewer loads on post office. On an average a post office serves 7175 people in its area. Hence People and post offices both can save their time.

Results:
No need to stand in queue for post office. You just need to drop your post at nearest post office where it can be processed through bar code. Will reduce number of employees used, as work will become less. The expenditure involved in paper, printing while doing speed post will decrease thereby increasing the revenue of the department. The efficiency will increase.

Problems:
Since the Speed Post/ Registered post depends on weight. Hence there can be a case where any user pays less for the specific weight of his post. But there can be a solution to this problem also, because most cases people use the speed post for document exchanges. In that case there can be a standard chart online, which can show approximate weight of 'x' number of pages. If the post is not for document exchange the user will have to ensure the weight of the post before using the system.

Utility:
In the world's "third largest and growing" economy (by PPP) time is a major factor for offices as well as for people. And talking about the post offices

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of India, this department is obsolete in the use of growing technology. Through this process a lot of time of people as well as post offices is saved. Process of speed post becomes more faster.

Additional Applications:
In the era of evolving technology and internet why not make the postal stamps online. For normal post also, if the amount is greater than Rs 10 (Just for example), you can get the barcode printed out from the system and stick it to the envelope you are sending. So you wont even need to buy the stamps from the post offices. Its a speedy process which takes less time and reduces the work load of post offices at least in urban areas.

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E- Filing of Tenders
Ideas in Mind:
Corruption in India is a very big problem now. In the tendering segment it is on top, whether it's 2G or Coal block allocation. To fight these problems we need to make these systems self-sustained. However e-filing of tenders have started in India but the system is not performing to level due to loopholes. A major change is required in the process of tender allocation procedure. The tendering is a part of all big and small government organization whether its a college or allocation of coal fields, tender is required. At low level, a lot of black money is made through tenders and nobody knows of it. Let's take an example, there are government colleges say the IITs. Every IIT floats tender for different purposes. The tender is at low level and few authorities know about it thereby increasing chance of corruption but what if all the colleges covered by the government say IITs, IIITs, NITs have a common tendering process and a central monitoring agency.

Process:
We try to explore the tendering process in terms of factors that may suggest that the quality of work produced via the tendering process is not always as good as it might be. Ideally, the process is - a committee of government decides the value of tender, then its open for bidding and the lowest bidder gets the tender if it has the required qualification. To keep a check on material quality the government also says that the company winning the bid will not only construct the project but also maintain the project for a stipulated time so that quality of the material is not compromised. But the idea is not a success in reality. The construction quality is compromised and Inferior quality material is used. Here is what we are suggesting. In this model, firstly a Central tendering agency is made. For an example, every government college covered by MHRD will send the requirement of tender to the Central tendering agency. The agency will look up the details and will float the tender online on its portal. The users (Contractors) will fill the required details and submit the scanned documents online. The agency will review the documents and will shortlist the eligible [7]

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contractors based on the requirement of the tender. Thereafter, the agency will ask for the technical requirement and financial bids and the rating (will be explain later). Based on these things the tender will be fixed. After completion of tender work, this agency will do one more work, the rating of contractors. This rating will be based on the quality of work, done by the contractor. The rating will be based on many aspects like quality of material used, quality of construction etc. What we are doing is law regulating the tendering process by making it strict. The Central tendering agency awarding the contract will also keep checking the quality of contracts awarded from time to time and also rate the contractors doing government contracts. According to the rating when the tenderers will fill further tenders, points should be awarded to them during evaluation according to the rating. If any tenderer uses inferior quality material then obviously his points will be deducted next time he fills a tender and hence less chances of him getting the tender. This will increase the competition and hence quality of work. If in some contract quality of material is found to be of inferior level then immediately the contract should be terminated and the tenderer should face a lifetime ban from government projects. It is a small example but say all the tenders of some whole ministry say DoT are at one place with a Central tendering agency. The same is applicable for procurement made by government. Its an easy and transparent process.

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Flowchart: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Requirement of Tenders Concerened authority approaches Central tendering agency with all requirements and details Central tendering agency floats the tender through its online website with all the requirements The user (contractor) fills the tender online. Required documents are submitted online using scanned copies. Central tendering agency releases the names of qualified contractors based on the documents. The agency asks shortlisted contractors to submit Technical, Financial and Rating documnets online. Central tendering agency again shortlists contractors based on their technical, financial bids and ratings. Rating after completion of the tender work.

Results:
The people filing in the tenders will get all the tenders at one place. It will increase competition in the interested parties and tenders will be at national level. Chances of corruption at low level will become less and transparency will be made by the agency so that nobody can claim that the tender was fixed. The contractor doing unfair means according to the contract will get the low rating therefore decreasing his chance for future contracts.

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E- Business
Ideas in Mind:
The government should start thinking of building a central database system which will keep the information of each and every person of the country. The idea is once a person is allotted a unique id then he will use the same id for using every public service that will be available online like filing Tax, applying for Driving License, Lodging a FIR, for Passport, Provident Fund management, Electricity Bills, Water tax etc. Such information once maintained can be used also by banks for verifying an identity of an individual or by any other government agency for verification. What we are suggesting is sharing of the database for use. Not only that database should be restricted to some organization but can be shared for use of various other organizations thus reducing time and cost in providing services. Meanwhile the government can also charge the private companies using the database, this will keep the cost to maintain such database under control. Suppose a person goes to bank to open a bank account then he provides his unique id to the bank and the bank checks his identity on the central database and immediately opens the account thereby reducing time for the procedure. Similar can happen when one goes for getting a telephone connection or wherever there is need for identity. Extensions of Central database: There are various ways through which e-governance can be beneficial for the nation. A few have been pointed out with small solutions which need to be fully developed with the help of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) models. This last model is about making India a business destination for investors. India ranks 133rd in ease of doing business in the world. We need to change that and build back the investor confidence. This can be done by using e-business model. The aim of the government should be to continuously expand and optimise its comprehensive range of high quality administrative services for citizens and the business community. Thus, the target is to further enhance quality of life for people and keep India attractive as a business location. In strategic terms, the India has defined corporate objectives in terms of

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performance and outcome, customers, economy and management, which serve as sign posts on the road towards an up-to-date service enterprise with social responsibility. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as an innovation motor play a key role in this development process. ICT strategy is geared to the enterprise strategy of India and aims at optimising the added value of ICT services and products for the implementation of the overall strategy. In particular, ICT supports the two cornerstones of administrative modernisation, i.e. customer-orientation and effectiveness. More particularly, the targeted strategic objectives are based upon significantly increasing the utilisation and intensity of e-Government applications.

e-Business India:
E-Business should be a part of new public management strategy to modernize procedures of cities across India. It will be there to support citizens and staff at the city administration level with services as diverse as filing applications, delivery of relevant administrative decisions, payment of fees and swift back office processing. Networking of all departments involved in the Administration of business means that customers deal with one high authority only. Each department has access to all relevant files. High quality data are entered only once, be it at the decentralised municipal office and are transferred to Central database registry. The e-business project should consist of following1- City level database register 2- Business online website 3- Business workflow The city level database register will cover all functions required to administer the register including issuance of documents and records and communications with the central database register. The business website should support the following:

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1- Applying for business licence. 2- Applying for confirmation of personal suitability. 3- Applying for exemption from submitting proof of qualification. 4- Registering the appointment of new managing director or removing the current managing director. 5- Changing a business address. 6- Registering of additional business establishment. 7- Registering a change of name of company. 8- Relinquishing a licence in Country. In individual there will be two processing paths to choose from new registrations or change of registration. To change a registration users are required to enter their old registration number. Once all the necessary entries have been made and the process has been completed and sent off, users are notified by return email of which department their application has been sent to (determine automatically). Included in the e-mail is an identification number allowing users to send additional complementary documents (by e-mail or fax) as needed. In addition an e payment gateway can also be installed to facilitate payment for services like obtaining DIN Number. The achievement of this system will be that somebody sitting at home will do all the legal formalities and his business will be ready to run in short time without any hassles involving circulating around the government offices. Currently there are few steps that can be done online but still a lot of time is consumed because the whole process is not automated. We need to make this whole process automated so that it becomes less time consumin. E-Voting: In India, the largest democracy of the world, voter turnout in general elections is just about 50% which is extremely poor by any standard. The literate people including engineers, doctors and other professionals who have

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power to dethrone corrupt ministers rarely go to vote. E- Voting can be a solution to their problems which can again be done by that unique identity. This is one of the most important benefits of central database register. Online voting ticket application: Citizens wishing to avail themselves of their right to vote but are away from the country for say work purpose can avail there right to vote by getting the online voting ticket using central database register. e-Payment: The objective of e-Government is to support applications for administrative procedures and their processing via the internet. Accordingly, it is also necessary to regulate automated notification of costs accrued and to offer facilities for direct payment via the Internet. The central database records all cases and the financial obligations involved. Applicants are thus given a clear defining argument which is attached to a payment service and is subsequently redetermined for final clearing. The following payment options are available: - Payment via the Internet. - Payment by money order. - Payment at the cashiers office. The e-Payment project takes into account customer demand for streamlined administrative procedures and new forms of payment via the internet. Internal processes are optimised simultaneously. Immediate payment of charges helps to speed up processes. The actual amount of payments received has no bearing on processing times. Customers can choose from the following payment options regardless of whether their applications are handled via the internet, in writing or directly with the authorities in charge: - Payment via the internet (credit cards, maestro cards) - Payment by money order. - Payment at the central cashiers office.

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The Citys Internet platform and electronic payment options are available round the clock. Customers who avail themselves of this service enjoy the added comfort of no-paper transactions with Internet banking remittance forms. Online payment confirmations automatically inform the relevant department of payments effected. As soon as a case is recorded in the database the payment effected is reported to the relevant application. Optimised transfer of information allows the authority to continue processing without delay. Customers businesses enjoy reduced payment processes and rapid settlement of their transactions.

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