E-Governance – Introduction
- E-Governance aka Electronic Governance means using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to transform functioning of the Government.
- It differs from E-Government as Governance is wider than Governance. E-governance may refer to governance of a Country, or the governance of an institution and also governance of a Household by a housewife. However E-Governance under this blog refers to the Governance of a Country.
What is E-Government?
- E-Government i.e. Electronic Government is the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to run or carry on the business of the Government of a Country.
- However the term E-government is misleading, as it implies an electronic substitute for the physical government. Electronic substitution of a government is not possible as Government is an unit of people coming together to administer a country.
- A Government is a group of people responsible for the administration and control of a Country/State. It involves people like the Heads of States, Ministers, Government Employees, etc. It also involves public participation. So electronic substitution for a Government is not possible. Therefore, E-Government may only refer to a Government using in conducting its business.
E-Governance – What does it mean?
- The term ‘Governance’ is wider than ‘Government’. Governance may be an activity of governing/controlling a country by its Government, controlling of an organisation or a company by its CEO or Board of Directors or controlling of a house hold by the head of the house, Accordingly E-governance may also involve governing of a country, organisation, company or a household, however with the help of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
- But when we talk of E-Governance in the popular parlance we only refer to the governing of a Country/State using ICT. E-governance therefore means the application of ICT to transform the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of exchange of information and transaction:
- between Governments,
- between Government agencies,
- between Government and Citizens
- between Government and businesses
E-governance also aims to empower people through giving them access to information.
Source: Indiaegovernance
