In this age of Internet and emails, it is interesting to know the extent to which these technologies are used in the day-to-day governance of the state. In the private corporate world, these technologies have become a necessity rather than an option.
Over the years some of the Chief Ministers branded as tech savvy like Chandrababu naidu and S.M Krishna projected temselves as CEO’s of their states. However despite the hype, today we see that not many departments are using these on a daily basis.
Yes, in Karnataka there have been some very good initiatives in bringing technology to the masses and also have earned global recognitions like the Bhoomi project which digitised almost 200 million property records of the farmers in the state. The initiative was a huge relief to the farmers who can get the records they need directly from the Kiosks rather than waiting the Govt offices and paying bribes. However, there are still lot of areas which beg for technological upgradation which affect the masses daily.
For the starters, how tech savvy are our representatives? As we all know, the state govt issued Acer Laptops to all the members of the state legislature last year in celebration of the golden jubilee of the state. However, how many of them are actually using the same for the purpose it was originally intended for? However a very small minority of the leaders have come to realise that the internet can be an effective tool in bridging the gap between the Govt and the populace. In this regard, the initiative of our current Home Minister Dr. V S Acharya is really laudable. His blog http://drvsacharya.blogspot.com is a right move in the right direction.
The government of the day as well as its departments do have a web presence. The official website is http://www.karnataka.gov.in/ . However, the site is not interactive as it should be. It has the same old Govt look which needs to change. Also, emails can be a very effective tool when it comes to communication. Also, in this age of going-green, that would definitely cut both the time and the cost associated with the day-to-day communication. None of our leaders as well as the officers in the govt publish their emails. The only way to contact them is either by phone or by letter which has been the norm for the last 50 years. A corporate-like setup to the government will definitely go a long way in improving the efficiency and reliability of the govt.
Technology can play a very important role in curbing the rampant corruption plaguing today’s govt. This stems from the fact that the whole setup is designed to facilitate the same. There is accountability at any level. Computerisation can eliminate the unnecessary delay and the harassment of the people by the officials. A computer trail will make it very difficult to defends the unreasonable delays associated with the govt services. Also, the govt should install required time taken for different services in all the offices. As a result, people can now expect the result in a time bound manner.
Another area where technology can bring about a radical change is the pubic distribution system. The decades old system that is currently operational is mired with rampant corruption and pilferage. Only a small percentage of the subsidised goods reach the needs. Most of them are diverted to the black market. Computerization of the whole system could save the govt crores of rupees annually and also the needy can be well served. There are talks of introducing smart cards with biometric data of the families. This can be of great help. Also, computerization of all the beneficiaries and the transaction would allow effective management of the same and reduce the corruption involved in this business.
This is just one area. Just imagine the scope of the technology should the GOVT decide to implement in all its areas?
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