IIIT B evaluation of on early ICT4D initiatives

IIITB evaluation report on early ICT4D initiatives

IIITB had conducted an evaluation of the early ICT4D initiatives including akshaya, Rural e-Seva West Godavari, Dhrishtee centres in Sirsa, MSSRF centres in Pondicherry and SARI project in Melur. The report is not easily accessible hence posting it in this blog

Shri MN Vidyashankar Principal Secretary e-Governance, Karnataka

Mr MN Vidyashankar Chief Election Officer Karnataka , meeting representatives of Praja, a citizens organisation of Bangalore

The above photo downloaded from the internet represents the way of working of Mr Vidyashankar whch is of being extremely accessible  to both citizens and private sector, understanding their point of view and incorporating their suggestions after due evaluation.

In the past decade, Mr Vidyashankar has served the State Government of Karnataka in some important positions namely Chairman BWSSB, Commissioner BDA, Secretary Medical Education, , Principal Secretary IT BT & ST , Chief Electoral Officer and Principal Secretary e-Governance. In all these positions besides running the regular routine operations of the departments with a high degree of efficiency, he has kept the citizens interests paramount and introduced numerous IT based innovations.

2nd line leadership for successful implementation of e-Governance Projects

In most cases the media highlights the contribution of e-Gov champions at the Secretary or Principal Secretary e-Governance like Shri Rajeev Chawla, Shri MN Vidyashankar. However these officers would be the first to pass on the credit to the team supporting them.   Karnataka Government has been fortunate to have hard working and dedicated 2nd line leadership in the e-Governance department which has led to successful implementation of many e-Governance projects in the State. Some of these notable officers are

Shri DS Ravindran an officer from the Indian Forests Service,  is currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer  of the Centre for e-Governance in the Department of e-Governance. Over the past 3 years he has been responsible for implementing some of the most important e-Governance programs to name a few like the Karnataka State Wide Area Network, e-Procurement, Nemmadi. Prior to his working in the e-Governance Department, Shri DS Ravindran has served in a variety of roles in the Forest department of Karnataka. He has a Phd from University of Wales and was awarded a Gold Medal by IIM Bangalore for topping the Masters program in Public Policy.

Ms. J Sathyawathi an officer of the Karnataka Administrative Service was appointed the first Deputy Secretary of the e-Governance Department of Karnataka which was established in 2004.

Dr. Rajendra Kumar's website

Dr. Rajendra Kumar an IAS officer of Tamil Nadu Cadre and currently serving as Director in National  E-Governance Division in DIT has a neat and attractive personal website. It is extremely creditable that Senior officers like Dr. Rajendra Kumar are creating their own websites as they in turn will push their Departments to publish user friendly and informative web sites.

With his extensive administrative experience coupled with a distinguished academic record, without doubt Dr. Rajendra Kumar will contribute to furthering the e-Governance agenda of the country   

E-Governance meet in Rajasthan Government

E-Governance presentations in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Government recently held a e-Governance workshop in which eminent e-Governance practitioners delivered presentations. The above link is a good resource to learn about both theory and practice of e-Governance.

Sri Kumar IPS Former DGP Karnataka appointed Commissioner CVC

Sri Kumar appointed Commissioner CVC - Article in Deccan Herald

Mr. Sri Kumar  former DGP of Karnataka has been appointed as Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission of India. Mr. Sri Kumar was the Managing Director of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation http://www.ksphc.org/ for a number of years and introduced numerous e-Governance programs to enable transparency in the organisation. Among the noteworthy programs introduced were e-procurement, project management and complete transparency of works executed under KSPHC. Any person can check the website http://www.ksphc.org/ and ascertain the status of any work under implementation.

Mr. Sri Kumar, both as MD of KSPHC and later as DGP of Karnataka,  remained extremely accessible to all alike and was always open to new ideas, innovations and new ways of thinking.

Given the credentials of Mr. Sri Kumar , the Government is commended for making such a well deserved appointment to  the critical position in the Central Vigilance Commission.  He will continue to safeguard the interests of the citizens of India in his new position

A detailed profile of Mr. Sri Kumar is provided in the CVC website Mr. Sri Kumar's profile in CVC website

2020 Social Workshop on Social Media for Non-Pofits

an interesting use of Web 2.0 for Non profits

2020 Social Workshop on Social Media for Non-Pofits

View more presentations from 2020 Social.

How e-Government Is Empowering Citizens Worldwide - Newsweek

How e-Government Is Empowering Citizens Worldwide - Newsweek

The article contains a laudatory reference to Bhoomi reproduced below

Bureaucracies are not always as open in the developing world, where broadband penetration is scarce and democracy tender. And yet some surprising models of e-government are coming from emerging nations. Computerizing old land records is jolting rural India out of the 19th century. Since 2001 the Bhoomi (“land” in Hindi) program, brainchild of Bangalore engineer turned administrator Rajeev Chawla, has scanned 20 million deeds held by 6.7 million farmers in the southern state of Karnataka, meticulously mapping property lines. Farmers can review their deeds at public Internet kiosks and download the crucial official property title that Indians use both as an identity card and as collateral for bank loans. In a region where land disputes represent seven out of 10 court cases and illiterate peasants often fall prey to powerful land grabbers practiced in doctoring deeds, the Bhoomi movement is “nothing short of a silent revolution,” says Srikanth Nadhamuni, an e-government pioneer in Bangalore. Authorities in New Delhi plan to invest $6 billion to take Bhoomi and other e-gov services nationwide.

HP Holds US Navy Network ‘Hostage’ for $3.3 Billion

Issue is outsourcing of Technology projects by Government Departments

HP Holds Navy Network ‘Hostage’ for $3.3 Billion