Tamil Nadu Creates Sustainable E-gov Model

Tamil Nadu and its e-gov initiatives very often get overshadowed by states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. Not any more. Let us have an in-depth look at several G2G initiatives that the state has pioneered in the last few years. Probably it is one of the few states to have achieved a higher automation within the government departments. One of the key strengths of the state lies in its ability to create a common IT ecosystem which the government departments can harness for their specific e-governance initiatives. The credit of creating this pro-active technology backbone certainly goes to ELCOT and Tamil Nadu e-Governace Agency (TNeGA). It is through these 2 agencies that the state has pioneered many e-governance initiatives.

The E-gov Drivers

According to Dr Santhosh Babu, MD, ELCOT, and CEO, TNeGA, In the last few years, Tamil Nadu has taken giant steps in bridging the digital divide among government departments. We have been able to successfully leverage the TNSWAN network which was completed way back in 2007 and as a continuous measure, we are always ramping up our back-end IT infrastructure. This has set the stage for effective delivery of services to all government departments as it facilitated good connectivity and IT resources needed for G2G.

Analysts say that one of the reasons why Tamil Nadu has been able to materialize most of its e-governance projects in a steady manner is an enormous political will. According to Dr Babu, e-gov projects started gaining momentum once the government decided to have a single head for both ELCOT and TNeGA. This enabled better co-ordination between departments and areas like IT procurement became really easy as the needs of government departments could be speedily addressed by ELCOT. It can now meet the demands more realistically as it can understand the needs and IT requirements.

One of the key areas that has made all e-gov initiatives possible is the technology infrastructure ELCOT has created. PostTNSWAN, the government has significantly ramped up the back-end infrastructure. For instance, with the completion of the state data center recently, things are expected to move really fast in 2011 as the back-end infrastructure is fully ready and operational. Another area that acts as a key catalyst is the enabling role ELCOT and the IT department plays. Says Dr Babu, In the past, IT departments used to be the flag bearers of e-governace projects. Once the IT departments role ends, the projects efficiency goes down. But, what we are seeing in Tamil Nadu is that the demand is coming from government departments itself so e-governance is being driven by stakeholders. We are playing just an enabling role.

Clearly, as we look at the activities of ELCOT in the last 5 years, it has played a multi-pronged role and one of the interesting aspects is the continuity of e-governance initiatives. Neither government change nor people movements have caused any disruption of projects. Today ELCOT is not just an IT procurement agency, it is the key e-gov driver in the state. So, in addition to creating IT infrastructure facilities in the state, it has worked on other aspects like change management strategies aimed at enabling government employees to use IT in an effective way. To that end, it is instrumental in making the government launch the capacity building scheme for different departments.

For instance, Tamil Nadu government has identified 14 mission mode departments to provide their services to citizens. For that, they are being trained in IT skills so that they can effectively meet citizen demands. To augment the capacity building, a State e-Mission Team (SeMT) has been created at TNeGA with domain expertise in program management, technology and change management. SeMT will assist the government in providing overall direction, standardization and program management for e-governance initiatives undertaken by the state and help mission mode departments to set up Project e-Mission Teams to self sustain their projects.

Another key driver that has deepened the delivery of e-gov services is the creation of designated e-districts. The government is in the process of rolling out common service centers with an aim to make government services reach the nearest locations of citizens. Under NEGP, the government has created pilot e-districts in 5 districts: Thiruvarur, Krishnagiri, Perambulur, Ariylur, and Coimbatore with a total cost of about `12.5 crore.

Apps Development

Probably Tamil Nadu is one among the few states in which an IT nodal agency plays the role of a developer. As we look at ELCOT and TNEGA, it has developed numerous applications for government departments. Even for in-house purpose, ELCOT has deployed a custom-made ERP and today it is a totally paperless office with all its processes being computerized. Its hallmarks is its e-tendering system that has ushered in a high degree of transparency and visibility in the IT procurement process.

For apps development and deployment, ELCOT has put in place a very good model. For instance, ELCOT co-ordinates with the departments and selects the developer and deploys an application post the development. ELCOT also gives facility management services. So, clearly G2G penetration of IT is very high in Tamil Nadu as compared to other states. As we look at the next wave of e-governance, it will propel many e-governance initiatives to reach the common man through an effective delivery and proper access to services.

Key Learnings

Dr Babu says, We are still learning from other states and constantly striving to raise our standards. The pro-active support from the IT minister in the state has also acted as a key catalyst in seeing many of the initiatives actually become reality with little lead times. As we look at the Tamil Nadu e-governance model, in corporate IT parlance, ELCOT plays the role of a CIO as well as a consultant for government departments which can empower themselves by e-governance. ELCOT and TNeGA have created successful proof points for other states to emulate and have driven home the message that creating a viable hardware, software, connectivity, and policy ecosystem are the 4 key pillars in delivery of G2G as well as G2C services. Moreover, this has created an on-demand IT model for the state wherein the government departments IT needsbe it procurement or deployment of appshave become relatively easier to deal with. The technology enabling role that ELCOT has been playing is indeed commendable and its initiatives like rural BPOs have bridged the digital divide in the real sense. Today, there are about 1,000 school dropouts who work in rural BPOs spread across country areas in Tamil Nadu and it has empowered the rural youth. Instances like these are real drivers and catalysts that show how e-governance has reached the end usera common man.

Shrikanth G
shrikanthg@cybermedia.co.in