IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

Promptitude and exactness in decision-making and correspondence are the primary purposes of e-governance. But exactness in decision-making is antithetical to manipulation -- the basic element that fosters corruption. Frequent policy changes geared to serving calculated notorious designs are also a manifest sign of the same vice. How then can e-governance become the management feature of this society, identified as the most corrupt one by a foreign research body of repute in five successive years in a row? Unless this moot point is addressed seriously, all efforts for making e-governance effective will be like multiplying the figure one by itself any number of times. It is basically the honesty of purpose that matters most. After all, man-made computers having installed intelligence of a limited nature are no better than the intentions of their users. Hackers -- who are intelligent but corrupt, have proved the inability of this machine to guard against manipulation. But if the intentions of users are pious, computers are undeniably superb in performance -- those serve their masters faithfully.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has reportedly formed, as if rising to have the late night food for fasting in the Ramadan a little before the sun-down, a cell to act as the catalyst for carrying forward the national e-governance plan. The order in this respect has described the nascent cell as most important for proper utilisation of the national resources and public fund under the development budget. Governance being a continuous process, one may hope that the order of the outgoing government whose tenure expires within less than four weeks, will not lose import once the care-taker government steps in. But who will guarantee that the officials comprising the cell would then remain in their posts to act as what they have called the catalyst? While romance with computers in this country is older than the life of the outgoing government, it is known for emphasising on e-governance right on assuming power. While the move ensured some business opportunities for the manufacturers of the wonderful machines and also some commission to their local agents, the net benefit drawn is yet very limited. There are now computers in the office rooms of high officials often as show pieces while those with junior officials are being used only as word-processors. Typing has become excellent on costlier software and chemicals having replaced carbon papers used on now discarded typewriters. With the uses being yet very limited in relation to potentials, computers in offices still represent waste of resources and opportunities in this country.

How could computers be optimally used for successful e-governance when the usual pay structures of the related posts in the public offices do not attract actual experts for the jobs? The real experts fully knowing their work prefer employment with the private sector where they receive better remuneration. Web sites, opened by many ministries, government departments and autonomous bodies with the help of experts hired from the private sector, are not being updated in most cases as their own experts are not capable of doing it. These web sites mock at those institutions with their outdated or incomplete information and data. There should be a serious evaluation of the manpower base in the area of computerisation, which was raised earlier by the government in haste. An arrangement for hire and fire or retraining the existing manpower should be made prior to moving firmly for the complete introduction of e-governance. Otherwise, the current move will be undercut by the shortage of competent manpower and produce a result far below the expectation. A job half done is no job at all.

Quelle/Source: The Financial Express/a>, 05.10.2006