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MUMBAI, June 23

THE Government of Maharashtra has put together an Information Technology Master Plan for launching an e-utility for all its 29 departments in a such a way that any department's IT systems can interface with that of any other.

The plan has been designed by a company called Maharashtra Infostructure Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between the Government of Maharashtra itself and a Mumbai-headquartered software services company Netvista Information Technology Ltd.

Maharashtra Infostructure itself has worked out the plan in conjunction with Singapore Computer Systems Ltd as well as the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, a government body.

The master plan consists of specifications for infrastructure architecture policies, procedures and standards.

The principles of interoperability, open standardised interface and protocol, security, robustness and scaleability, a single network and cost-effectiveness have been kept in mind while drafting this plan.

"The Government of Singapore which has considerable experience in e-governance has been through four master plans and our experience makes it possible for us to advise other governments," said Mr Mohan Mirwani, Country Director (India) for the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore.

This authority's activities and functions correspond to those of our domestic bodies, the National Informatics Centre and the Telecom Regulatory Development Authority and besides that include trade and development facilitation as well, explained Mr Mirwani.

"Each government department is typically at a different stage and phase of computerisation. There must be a synergistic approach to computerisation," said Mr Mirwani.

"Some have legacy systems, and different departments contract with different vendors for their own needs of hardware and software.

"The IT Master plan sees to it that every department would follow a certain framework during computerisation so that a common interface is possible between all departments."

The IDA's India office functions as a trade and business facilitator for Information Technology and related areas, enabling Indian companies interested in Singapore or Singapore companies interested in India to come together.

In fact, it recently facilitated a 50:50 joint venture between Netvista Information Technology and Singapore Computer Systems.

The joint venture company is yet to be named, but this company whose equity base at the outset will be Singapore $ 2 million, will specifically take up e-governance projects, using SCS's expertise in e-governance projects.

Netvista is already a 50 per cent joint venture partner with the Maharashtra Government in Maharashtra Infostructure.

SCS, which has revenues of Singapore $ 500 million claims many years of experience on e-governance projects, especially those that require dealing with large databases, as well as experience on healthcare projects, said Mr Lim Joo Hong, President and CEO of SCS.

The joint venture is already bidding for three or four IT projects of the Maharashtra Government.

These projects will be undertaken on a Build Own Operate basis, said Mr Rajiv Samani of Netvista.

"Our revenue model is for 10 years; we shall be earning over a period of time, both from the government as well as individuals and companies that will be paying for use of the facilities put up by the various projects."

He said the sheer volume in India associated with any government activity would ensure that the business of e-governance holds a very large potential.

The joint venture company will eventually bid for government projects in other states as well as for projects of the Central Government, he said.

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