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.