Written by Rupa Dutta Senior Adviser, DPIIT & Piyush Niranjan, Consultant, DPIIT        

‘In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity’, the quick development of novel technological solutions offered by e-governance during the chaos of COVID-19 is nothing short of making the best out of the crisis.  The Indian government has actively collaborated with the private sector to develop ICT solutions, particularly for identification of the affected and prone to infection population, isolation, contact tracing, and treatment, in those trying times. Information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a critical tool for both resolving and responding to pandemic-related challenges. Particularly helpful during this time have been the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools and the increasing number of mobile applications.

“Technology in Aid to Administration, District Administration, Mon, Nagaland” initiative implemented in Nagaland acted as an efficient tool for COVID-19 pandemic management during the crisis. This technological initiative of the Mon district administration formed part of an overall fight against COVID-19. Several initiatives such as doorstep delivery of essential services (banking, medicines, ration, etc.), food bank, along with technological initiative formed part of the overall architecture of the solution. During the pandemic, we have discovered the crucial connection between ICT and e-governance.

When National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) Report was released in 2021 by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievance, Nagaland was ranked the highest among the North-East and Hill States in terms of providing single window access to information and service links.

The NeSDA 2021 findings demonstrate the journey of e-Services towards citizen centricity and benchmarking governance. How did this all happen? What are the reasons behind it?

The transformation of Nagaland’s governance and development will be examined in this article with respect to the ICT industry and e-governance.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) and e-governance has grown in importance with global adoption and acceptance of digitalization. The Indian government has pro-actively encouraged the use of ICT and e-Governance. Nagaland is one such state that has benefited from this much needed acceptance of technology driven governance, Nagaland’s IT Policy (2011) mentioned about “Bringing transparency in Government operations through Government-citizen interface and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Government’s service delivery systems” as the core principle.

Nagaland’s emphasis on digital literacy is one of the main reasons for its success in e-governance. The state government’s emphasis on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship has been another significant step.

The government has undertaken several initiatives, including funding, mentoring, and incubation programmes, to assist startups and small firms in the IT sector. With the COVID-19 induced changes in lifestyle with growing use internet and reliance on the same, the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), IT Department are creating an ecosystem where internet will be made accessible to every nook and corner of Nagaland.

E-Governance

Electronic governance, also known as e-Governance is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to provide government services, exchange data, conduct communication procedures, and integrate a variety of independent systems and services. E-Governance marked a paradigm shift in governance philosophy – citizen centricity rather than process centricity, and large-scale public participation through electronic means.

The most effective use of information and communication technologies to transform and improve the coherence, productivity, efficacy, transparency, and reliability of informational and transnational exchanges within government, between government agencies at various levels, citizens, and businesses is referred to as e-governance.

ICT

ICT enables the government to deliver higher-quality services, which raises citizen happiness. Designing services with the user in mind requires that the advantages be immediately apparent and translated into the economic and social gains of the population. ICT may therefore be utilised to help the government reach all citizens and act as a catalyst for growth. In addition, ICT can be effectively used to fight poverty and promote sustainable development by encouraging information-rich communities and sustainable livelihoods.

So how did Nagaland become so efficient in e-governance in North East? Let’s take a closer look.

The ICT revolution in Nagaland has been significantly aided by Common Services Centres (CSC). To promote digital inclusion and close the digital divide, these centres have given residents of remote and rural areas access to digital services and resources. Nagaland was the first in India to take over State Portal and State Services Delivery Gateway (SP&SSDG) core infrastructure project. With a variety of services like digital marketing, e-commerce, and software development, the CSCs have also been a crucial platform for entrepreneurs and small enterprises.

The North East BPO Promotion Scheme (envisaged under Digital India Programme), proposes to provide the following capital support in the form of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to eligible BPO Companies, to encourage the growth of the IT Industry in the North Eastern Region (NER) through BPO operations.  This would help in capacity building in the region in terms of infra & manpower and would become basis for next wave of IT/ITES led growth. Nagaland has one of the largest business processes outsourcing (BPO) centre in Northeast.

Types of e-Government Interactions

Government to Government (G2G): Within the government, information is exchanged, either between the central government, state governments, and local governments, or between different branches of the same government.

Government to Citizen (G2C): Citizens have a platform through which they can interact with the government and gain access to a variety of government services. Certificates – Birth, Caste, Income, Marriage, Character etc can be availed online easily.

MyGov: It is a citizen engagement platform launched by the Government of India on 26 July 2014 to promote the active participation of Indian citizens in their country’s governance and development. It is aimed at creating a common platform for Indian citizens to “crowdsource governance ideas from citizens”. It’s goal is to connect the government and citizens in order to achieve good governance. MyGov encourages citizens and people from other countries to participate in various activities such as ‘Do’, ‘Discuss’, ‘Poll’, ‘Talk’, ‘Blog’, and so on.

Government to Business (G2B): Businesses can seamlessly interact with the government regarding the government’s services offered to businesses.

Government to Employees (G2E): The interaction between the government and its employees is quick and efficient.

Nagaland: E-gov Hub

Nagaland, the scenic state in Northeast India, has been transforming rapidly in recent years, thanks to the government’s efforts towards e-governance. The state has implemented several innovative initiatives that have not only improved the efficiency of governance but also empowered its citizens.

The concept of e-governance was established in Nagaland in 2003, and since then, the sections of information technology have changed significantly. In recent years, the government has decided to focus on e-governance, which has the sole responsibility of bringing services and information to every nook and cranny of the country via information and communication technology (ICT).

• One of the most significant initiatives undertaken by the Nagaland government is the Nagaland Online Services Portal (NOSP). The portal serves as a one-stop-shop for citizens to access various government services online, including land records, driving licenses, birth and death certificates, and more. The portal has not only made it easier for citizens to access government services but has also reduced corruption by eliminating the need for intermediaries.
• Citizens to access government services but has also reduced corruption by eliminating the need for intermediaries.
• Another significant initiative by the Nagaland government is the e-Nagaland project, which aims to provide end-to-end automation of various government processes. The project has already digitized several departments, including revenue, transport, and public.
• Nagaland has also been successful in luring capital and talent to the IT sector by utilising its own cultural identity. Using IT and digital media, the state has been able to highlight its rich and diversified cultural history. ‘Festival of Festivals’ Nagaland Hornbill Festival, best introduction to the traditional and cultural montage of Nagaland which is becoming more well-known both domestically and abroad. This has improved the state’s reputation and attracted talent and investment to the IT industry.
• Another significant initiative is the implementation of the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS), which has revolutionized the land registration process in the state. The NGDRS has eliminated the need for physical document verification and has digitized the entire process, thus reducing the scope for corruption and bureaucratic delays.
• The state government has also launched various mobile applications that provide real-time information related to weather, tourism, and emergency services. The ‘Nagaland Police Citizen Portal’ is another noteworthy initiative that enables citizens to file complaints and track the status of their cases online.
• The Consolidated Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System has been integrated with the state systems, practically realising the Prime Minister’s vision of a single national portal for complaints and redressal.

E-governance has also facilitated greater transparency and accountability in the state’s governance structure. With the use of digital platforms, the government can now monitor the delivery of various services and track the performance of different departments. This has enabled the government to identify areas that require improvement and implement necessary reforms. The impact of e-governance in Nagaland has been significant, and its potential for the future is immense. Following the path of SMART governance, which stands for Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent governance, is at the heart of e-Governance.

Trailblazer Nagaland:

Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) had constituted the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) in 2019 as part of its mandate to boost the e-government endeavours and drive digital government excellence. The biennial study assesses States, Union Territories (UTs), and focus Central Ministries on the effectiveness of e-Governance service delivery.

Improvement in the country’s e-Governance landscape may be summarized in the following key takeaways –

• Increase in e-Service Delivery
• Rise in use of Integrated / Centralized Portals for delivery of e-Services
• Improvement across assessment parameter scores

In NeSDA 2021, 1400 services across all States and UTs were assessed as compared to 872 in 2019, an increase of over 60%. The e-Services of Finance and Local Governance & Utility Services sectors were the most widely used by citizens. The rising trend of e-Services delivery shifting from single silo departmental portals to integrated / centralized portals has resulted in higher citizen satisfaction.

The NeSDA 2021 findings demonstrate the journey of e-Services towards citizen centricity and benchmarking governance. Governments across the country have put a stronger emphasis on integrated service delivery which has led to a greater number of e-Services being offered through integrated / centralized portals.

Among the North-East and Hill States, Meghalaya and Nagaland are the leading State Portals with an overall compliance of more than 90% across all assessment parameters.

Conclusion:

The B20 Conference on Opportunities for Multilateral Business Partnerships in Agriculture & Food Processing, Tourism & IT on 5th April 2023 in Kohima would promote role of IT and innovation by advocating for policies that create a supportive environment. Nagaland’s development has benefited greatly from the implementation of e-governance and ICT initiatives. It has improved the delivery of public services, raised educational standards, increased agricultural productivity, and increased transparency in government operations. While infrastructure and digital literacy remain challenges, the state government’s commitment to leveraging technology for development is a step forward towards a more inclusive and prosperous Nagaland. Nagaland’s success in leveraging technology for development demonstrates the importance of e-governance and ICT in promoting inclusive growth. With the right investments and policies, the state can continue to leverage technology to improve public service delivery, enhance economic growth, and achieve good governance.