A Spirit of Action

Among the most flourishing states of northern India, Haryana

has a trail of achievements that speak of its contribution to the country’s

progress, be it as part of industrialization or the Green Revolution. However,

the state has been a bit slow when it comes to the IT revolution, especially in

comparison to more progressive southern states like Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka.

It’s first ever IT policy was formulated only about two years ago in May 2000.

The policy, which recognizes the role of technology as an

effective tool in efficient governance, economic growth and human resource

development, aims to transform Haryana into an IT driven economy. With a view to

use technology for socio-economic uplift, the policy is clearly targeted at

improving public utility services, cost-effective administration, spreading

literacy among the masses and promoting investment, particularly in the IT

industry.

Can IT achieve its objectives?



Whether it has been driven by the spirit of competition from other states or

it is due to pressure from the Center, the state government now seems quite

eager to implement the latest technology to facilitate the e-transition of

Haryana by providing critical infrastructure, systems framework and enabling

environment. However, it is too early to say whether this initial euphoria will

last. The ability of implementing authorities to comprehend the policy and

implement it effectively is still a big issue.

"The policy looks fairly good on paper, but it needs

bureaucratic and political conviction to be implemented. Unless the drivers of

the policy understand the need for it, there is no way it can achieve its

objectives," says D. Suresh, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa.

Suresh, who has been very actively involved in the IT

initiatives in his district, is of the view that there is tremendous potential

for e-governance in Haryana. The government is setting up information kiosks to

deal with public grievances, update people on various government schemes and

also enable buying and selling among farmers by providing information about

products and prices through a local center.

"This kind of a project, if run effectively, can go a

long way in improving the life of a villager. It not only gives them the

convenience of a service at their doorstep, but also creates employment

opportunities for the rural youth. Additionally, such centers can play a

significant role in driving the literacy campaign in remote villages," he

says.

However, the end result would be a variant of a lot of other

factors, which may be difficult to control. For instance, even in Sirsa

district, where about 25 information kiosks have been set up, only 3-4 of them

are functioning properly till now. "Any kind of technology will not help

unless basic infrastructure issues such as bandwidth and connectivity are

resolved," explains Suresh.

The action-plan



In spite of the infrastructure hurdles that may exist, the authorities seem

bullish about the future of IT in the state. "Haryana is a rich state and

the farmers here are willing to pay for such services," says a government

official, "so there is no reason why they will not work." And the

action plan seems well in place.

The state has identified the target sectors and has initiated

positive steps in the direction. The Secretariat for IT and Harayana State

Electronics Development Corporation (Hartron) are providing front-end services

to mega IT projects in the state. The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)

is setting up earth stations in the Gurgaon region for high speed data

communication. Leading IT companies such as Bharti Telecom, HCL, IBM, TCS, Wipro,

Hughes Software, Hughes Escorts and Motorola, among many others, already have

offices in Gurgaon.

The state government has announced various incentives to

promote investment, particularly in the technology sector. For instance, it has

liberalized the norms for companies setting up software units and is providing

easy clearances and approvals to facilitate the IT industry. The government also

promises to provide uninterrupted power supply and preferential allotment of

land for such units.

The eagerness of the state to participate in the IT

revolution is clearly visible. Whether Haryana is able to make a mark in the

tech map of the country or not, it has certainly kept up with its image through

its ‘spirit of action.’

Shweta Verma

Target Zone

Some of the key sectors and departments where IT-enabled

applications have been initiated to improve operations are...

Haryana Registration Information System (HARIS):

Designed to provide

registration of documents, right at the Tehsil/Sub-Tehsil premises, HARIS is

being implemented at 35 Tehsils/Sub-Tehsils. It includes security checks,

on-line capturing and storing of photos of buyers, sellers and witnesses and

information about registration fee, printing of registration certificate and

various statistical reports.

Land Records Computerization: Automation of land records includes various

public utility services such as on-line query on land records information to not

only serve the farmers, but also facilitate the work of revenue officials and

town planners. The project is being implemented in all 19 districts of Haryana.

Sarkar Apke Dwar Program Monitoring System: This helps the Chief Minister’s

Office in closely monitoring and reviewing the implementation of various

programs and welfare schemes running in the state. The database has details of

30000 projects announced by the Chief Minister and the software provides around

400 type of different reports.

House Tax Assessment and Collection System: The software for

generating of house tax notices, house tax bills for collection of tax and issue

of receipts, various forms, registers, reports and analysis has been developed.

Food Network (FoodNET): It connects all the agencies involved in

procurement of food, distribution of food grains. As a first step, a web-enabled

application to monitor daily procurement data has been developed.

Workflow Automation in Secretariat: Computerization and networking of

the secretariats, including the offices of the Chief Minister, has been

initiated to improve and enhance the workflow.

Administrative Functions: The government has also initiated other

measures to automate the processes and working of its various departments. It

includes online billing systems, management of financial and administrative

operations, installation of hardware, training, facilities management,

networking and web-enabled information access etc.