The Hindu Business Line : Montek pitches for greater e-governance

PROMOTING e-governance will go a long way in promoting good governance, according to Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the 8th National Conference on e-governance 2005 here on Saturday, Dr Ahluwalia focussed on the need to re-engineer processes to ensure that e-governance facilitates good governance. "The rapid transaction time in e-governance will force governments to deliver," he said.

According to him, computerisation is a decentralising force, which empowers people. E-enablement of governments is imperative with businesses moving towards e-commerce. The need of the hour, however, is to ensure that the political leadership pushes forward the e-governance initiatives at the Centre and in the States.

Non-governmental organisations and the media must also monitor e-governance initiatives and ensure that the political leadership delivers on promises, he said. Dr Ahluwalia said the national IT backbone must be spread across India with a view to bridging the digital divide in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Suresh Pachouri, Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, urged State Governments to use information and communications technology to implement e-governance initiatives and solutions. He said the success of e-governance could be gauged by determining if its benefits reach the marginalised sections of society.

According to Mr A. N. Tiwari, Secretary in the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, e-governance provides the most "comprehensive and exciting opportunity to change the way the Government functions."

It facilitates "cheaper, faster, transparent and accountable" governance, he said.

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