Cherkalam Abdulla, the Indian Minister for Local Self-Government, has issued a statement disparaging a report that was critical of the Information Kerala Mission (IKM). The conclusions of the report assembled by four independent IT experts were without foundation, argued Abdulla. "E-governance is not merely the deployment of a few software applications. It is basically about the functioning of government offices, changing procedures by attending to the existing shortcomings, preparing the employees for change and using the tools of Information Technology to usher in a better system," explained Abdulla, in the statement.
Researchers had gone to local authorities to gather details for their report by pretending that they were IKM officials, he alleged. The report highlighted that only a third of IKM-developed applications were actually deployed and in use by some local authorities. This charge was disputed by the minister.
Abdulla drew attention to the fact that government applications, such as the award-winning 'Sevana' births, marriages and deaths registration and certification application, had led to wider access on an unprecedented scale.
The International Telecommunication Union has dubbed IKM's e-government achievements as an 'ICT Success Story'.
Quelle: Public Sector Technology & Management, 16.08.2004
