23 July 2010 | By: Mohamed Hairul Borhan

The Indian government is set to increase IT spending in the near future as it continues to boost its e-government services.

It has already spent about INR10,000 crore (S$2.91 billion*) on such projects but is expected to pump in another INR20,000 crore in other various projects under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) in the next few years.

While 14 major e-governance projects, including some high-profile ones such as MCA-21, have already gone live, the Indian government aims to have all 27 mission mode projects envisaged under the e-governance blueprint ready by end 2014.

 “Of 27 mission mode projects under NeGP, 14 have commenced delivery of services in different parts of the country. By end of 2014, all mission mode projects will go live — this will enable the delivery of public service to citizens of the country as outlined in the programme,” said Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrashekhar.

Projects such as MCA21, Pensions, Central Excise, Income Tax, Passport, Banking and Insurance, Land Records and Common Services Centre have already been flagged off, and others such as modernisation of employment exchange are next in the line. It may be recalled that TCS had earlier clinched MCA-21 and the passport projects, while Infosys last year bagged the eBiz project of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

“In all, the total outlay for all projects together is almost INR30,000 crore, inclusive of both capital expenditure and the operational expenditure. Almost INR10,000 crore has already been done, and another INR20,000 crore will be incurred during the remaining project life. Since this includes the operational expenditure, it will spill even beyond 2014,” said IT Secretary R. Chandrashekhar.

Addressing a conference after the Apex Committee on NeGP reviewed the progress of various projects, the Cabinet Secretary said that over 600 e-government services are now available electronically. For instance, citizens can now obtain copies of their land records, job cards for employment under MNREGS, and certificates (relating to birth, death, income, and caste) on-line.

So far, over 80,000 Common Services Centres (ICT kiosks through which e-governance services will be delivered) have been set up across India; the number is expected to reach one lakh by the end of the fiscal year.

“During the review meeting, it was decided that IT Department would create a group comprising State and Central Government officials to work out a roadmap for business process re-engineering. Also, we have recommended that some delivery of services should be mandated by legislation. However, these will have to be identified by authorities that are undertaking these projects,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

*Exchange rate correct as at 23 July 2010

Courtesy of IBEF