Mains Practice Questions

Approach:

• Begin by defining e-Governance.
• Discuss benefits of e-governance and Inadequacies in e-governance.
• Conclude with a positive note highlighting the need to reform e-govenrnance.

Introduction:

e-Governance is marked by an extensive use of information and communication technology, that aims towards smart governance with enhanced transparency, accountability and quicker response times.

Body:

Benefits of e-governance

• Effectiveness: Reduction in cost of operation and a wider reach due to ease of accessibility increases effectiveness of governance.
• Transparency: Today most government application and processes are traceable online with less scope for corrupt practices.
• Accountability: Tracking of files and ongoing projects in real time has increased accountability of the officials.

Inadequacies in e-governance

• Lacklustre Coverage: Improper coverage in rural and farfetched areas leads to seclusion of various groups of the society.
• Downtime: Technical issues like poor internet connectivity, power cuts, server failure etc. often led to downtime impacting the effectiveness of e-governance systems.
• Privacy: It has always been an issue with the use of internet due to its susceptibility to hacking and trespassing.
• Cost and Maintenance of Infrastructure: Regular upgradation of hardware and software is required which leads to recurring cost of maintenance.
• Accessibility: Establishing communication to reach the last person is a crucial aspect of good governance. This is a challenge when the level of digital literacy is poor among the masses.

Conclusion:

While e-governance is a boon to the society, its inadequacies must be kept in mind to make sure of equitable availability across the society.