On July 1, the Centre launched its Digital India push, aiming to empower lakhs of Indians in the country’s remotest corners, and boost economic growth. What is the existing base in the states over which this edifice will stand?
Significant Steps Everywhere
ASSAM
For the last few years, citizens in two districts can apply online for documents like permanent residence certificate, certified copy of electoral roll, land mutation document, birth/death certificates, driving licence, vehicle registration, etc. Digitisation of ration card data has started; electoral rolls and National Register of Citizens are digitised.
WEST BENGAL
PDS overhauled through end-to-end computerisation; ration cards’ digitisation has now touched 7.8 cr. Online issual of caste certificates in 55 subdivisions; in last 4 years, 2.74 lakh ST certificates issued. Mamata Banerjee’s Kanyashree Prakalpa has won prizes in India, abroad.
CHANDIGARH:
VAT for businesses through e-registration, local excise and taxation department forms online soon. E-stamps in place, physical stamp papers to go soon. Administration plans phased rollout of 60 public services under e-District Mission Mode Project, 16 to go online in a month.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Vidhan Sabha has been paperless since August 2014, only one of its kind. Under e-vidhan initiative, all papers in House are laid digitally, all MLAs and mediapersons follow proceedings electronically, all officials communicate with Vidhan Sabha Secretariat online. Nearly all citizen services are online under e-suvidha project. The High Court has digitised working; cause lists are online and on digital displays.
GUJARAT
All 33 Collector offices and 13,000 gram panchayats are connected under e-Gram project. Gujarat leads chart of e-transactions under e-Transactions Aggregations and Analysis Layer (e-Taal), a central tool that reflects IT usage by states. State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology (SWAGAT) allows citizens to connect directly with CM. Land records are digitised. All 1.17 cr ration cards are bar-coded.
ODISHA
Land registration, college admissions, monitoring of mineral transportation from pit-head, applications for 7 basic certificates, waybill generation in commercial tax department, driving licences, vehicle registration certificates, and creation and processing of intra-department files at the state secretariat have been digitised.
JAMMU & KASHMIR
Six years after the Omar Abdullah government set up an exclusive e-governance agency, many public services, including getting a date of birth certificate, registration as a new voter, e-tendering for development projects and execution of employment related schemes, are online. But land records are not digitised.
UTTAR PRADESH
Land records are online. E-registration for commercial and other taxes, and various welfare schemes is available. E-tendering is mandatory in the Public Works Department, Mining and Irrigation. Sugarcane department has been recognised for its e-governance initiative. All scholarships are online. 26 key services are online.
MAHARASHTRA
Signed an agreement with Microsoft in January to create a digital identity for citizens, merging identities such as driving licences and passports. Aaple Sarkar portal to register grievances against government departments. August 1 deadline to start Government Receipt Accounting System (GRAS) for government receipts.
CHHATTISGARH
Began massive IT drive in 2005, among the first in India. E-delivery of citizen services assured under Lok Seva (Citizen Service) Guarantee Act; first state to notify e-governance rules. Urban bodies, urban development authorities, panchayats; rural development, social welfare, public welfare, education, health, police, etc. ministries digitised.
KARNATAKA
Mobile One project launched in December 2014 to bundle over 600 government services — like application and issuance of birth/death certificates, property registration, tax and bill payments for power, water etc. — into one seamless web location accessible over mobile phones.
PUNJAB
Department of Governance Reforms created in 2012 to work on e-governance. Power bills can be paid online at the PSPCL website. Corporations in bigger cities have started some online gateways.
ANDHRA PRADESH & TELANGANA
Most government bills can be paid online. In both states, work is on to make eservices available in all mandals not covered so far. Andhra is digitizing land records, land ownership and title deeds, government employees’ salaries, women and child welfare, sand mining, etc.
HARYANA
Seven e-services were launched on May 2, including e-stamping in property registration, Aadhaar enrolment of children along with registration of birth, and digital life certificates.
With inputs from Debashis Sarkar