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Journalism of Courage
— Kannan K
As India remains committed to achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, efforts to strengthen governance through collaborative federalism and technological integration have acquired greater momentum. During the NDA Chief Ministers’ conclave, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the commitment to effective governance and best practices was reiterated. In this pursuit, e-governance has emerged as an effective tool as it helps promote transparency, efficiency, and citizen-centric service delivery through digital tools.
E-governance, or electronic governance, refers to using digital technologies such as the internet and other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools by governments to deliver public services, provide information and communication, conduct transactions, and promote active citizen participation in governance. The most important goal of e-governance is to improve transparency, accountability, and responsiveness.
The ultimate aim of e-governance is to bridge the gap between the state and society by creating an effective, participatory and inclusive system of administration. This goal is operationalised through different features of e-governance such as the creation of single-window access to services, simplified communication and coordination between different departments, real-time information dissemination, and platforms for citizen feedback and grievance redressal.
These features create a seamless, efficient, and user-friendly governance ecosystem. It’s evident in initiatives like the e-Office scheme established in 2019 which successfully streamlined official file management and communication such that by 2024, 95% of files in central government offices were handled digitally.
Premised on the idea of SMART governance (Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent), the success of e-governance rests on four fundamental pillars: people, process, technology, and resources. People are both the beneficiaries of and the driving force behind e-governance initiatives. The digital literacy, adaptability, and willingness of the public to make use of new digital platforms have a direct impact on the reach and impact of all e-governance systems.
The process component refers to the re-engineering and redesigning of government procedures to make them more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric. Technology serves as the backbone of all e-governance mechanisms, providing all the infrastructure and tools necessary for a digital transformation of administrative functions. Resources refer to both financial capital and human expertise and intelligence, both of which are essential for the implementation and sustainability of e-governance projects.
Notably, the scope of e-governance extends beyond mere service delivery. It enables direct communication of the government with various entities through multiple channels of interaction such as:
— The Government-to-Citizen (G2C) approach enables direct communication with the public via services such as online bill payments, certificate and permit applications, etc.
— The Government-to-Business (G2B) link facilitates interactions and transactions between the government and businesses, simplifying processes such as licensing, permits, and other agreements.
— The Government-to-Government (G2G) is the exchange of information, data and other communications between different arms of the government. G2G communication has significantly improved interdepartmental efficiency and addressed the delays in initiatives that require approvals from multiple government bodies.
— The Government-to-Employee (G2E) interaction pathway uses technology to manage services and communications for government employees such as salaries, HR management such as transfers, promotions and granting of leave, facilitating training, etc.
Thus, the advent of electronic governance, and the pathways it has created, has transformed the way governments interact with their citizens and with the various branches of the administration. This transformation, however, has evolved over decades, marked by key institutional and technological developments.
Although the concept of e-governance and its potential to transform the interaction between the state and citizens emerged later, India’s journey towards e-governance can be traced back to the computerisation of government offices in the 1970s. The establishment of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in 1976 laid the foundation for the integration of ICT into public administration. During the 1980s and 1990s, India witnessed steady progress in the automation of government processes and the networking of administrative offices.
A major turning point came with the launch of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) in 2006. The plan aimed to make government services more accessible to the public through 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs), which covered a wide range of government functions. An important and successful component of NeGP was the establishment of Common Service Centers (CSCs), which helped enhance public access to these services. In 2015, e-Kranti, or NeGP 2.0, was initiated, which provided another framework for further digitisation with a focus on initiatives such as Digital India, Mobile First, and Cloud First.
The Digital India Mission in particular has played a key role in enhancing digital infrastructure for governance and empowerment. Several flagship initiatives under this mission have shaped the e-governance scenario in India. Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identification system, has streamlined the welfare delivery process and reduced leakages. The UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) platform offers single-window for accessing a range of government services.
The BharatNet initiative, which aims to connect all Gram Panchayats with high-speed broadband, has brought optic fibre internet to more than 2 Lakh Gram Pachayats. The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has brought transparency to public procurement, while initiatives like e-Courts, and e-Office have increased efficiency and accountability in various domains. Various state governments have also implemented e-governance initiatives at the local level. These initiatives have demonstrated the transformative potential of e-governance – though not without certain challenges.
The establishment of an e-governance system has brought about a number of benefits. Digital platforms have considerably reduced arbitrary actions from officials, making government functioning more open and transparent. It has enabled citizens to obtain key services such as licenses, certificates, and subsidies without physically visiting government offices, saving time and resources.
The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism has ensured that subsidies and other payments from the governments reach intended beneficiaries, avoiding leakages and promoting financial inclusion. Moreover, e-governance has given the marginalised sections of society – including women, oppressed communities, and the rural population – new avenues for participating and benefitting from government programmes and thereby contributing to empowerment through digital inclusion.
Despite its several benefits, e-governance faces some important challenges. The State of India’s Digital Economy (SIDE) Report 2025, published by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), indicates that while India is the third largest digitalised economy in the world, it ranks only 28th in terms of per capita digitalisation. This highlights the persistence of a large digital divide, particularly in rural areas where the lack of access to digital infrastructure limits the reach and positive impacts of e-governance.
In addition, the digitalisation of sensitive data raises concerns regarding cybersecurity, privacy and data protection. Low levels of digital literacy among both citizens and government personnel are another factor that limits the effective use of e-governance platforms. Most platforms operating primarily in English and Hindi cause non-Hindi/English speakers to have limited access. Further, resistance to change within the bureaucracy, along with technical issues such as limited power supply and poor connectivity, also affect the optimal implementation of e-governance across the country.
To attain the full potential of e-governance, a multipronged approach seems to be essential. Initiatives to bridge the digital divide through last-mile connectivity and ensuring affordable access to the internet and digital devices are the need of the hour. Raising digital literacy through targeted training programmes for both citizens and officials would help advance the process of e-governance. Initiatives such as BHASHINI and the development of multilingual platforms would be important steps to increasing digital literacy and overcoming linguistic barriers.
Moreover, the establishment of avenues for citizen feedback can further help democratise the governance process and make it more inclusive. There is also a need for regular capacity building and policy reforms that keep pace with technological advancements to ensure a sustainable e-governance ecosystem.
To sum up, India’s drive towards e-governance is proof of its commitment to a transparent, accountable and citizen-centric governance system. As the nation moves towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, e-governance will remain a key pillar in shaping the future of Indian governance.
What is e-governance? Describe its four pillars of e-governance evaluating how they interact to make governance more efficient.
E-governance has the potential to bridge the gap between the state and society. Evaluate in the context of rural-urban digital divides.
How far has e-governance addressed the issue of corruption and inefficiency in Indian public administration? Explain with examples.
Evaluate the role of initiatives like Digital India, UMANG, and BharatNet in enhancing the reach and effectiveness of e-governance.
How does the emphasis on governance and best practices during recent meetings such as NDA conclaves reflect the growing importance of e-governance in India’s development model?
(Kannan K is a doctoral candidate in Political Science at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad.)
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