A review of
E-Governance of Municipal Corporation in Urban Local Bodies
Kanhaiya Jee Gond1*, Dr.
Ritesh Mishra2
1 Research Scholar, Department of Public Admin, Sunrise
University, Alwar, Rajasthan, India
Email: kanhaiya@gmail.com
2 Associate Professor, Dept.of Public
Admin, Sunrise University, Alwar, Rajasthan, India
Abstract - Modern states, regardless of their
prevailing political ideology or national government structure, always have a
system of local governance. The importance of local government cannot be
minimized in any political system, whether it be a unitary or federal one, a
parliamentary or presidential one. People are showing a surprising tendency
toward optimism in regards to their communities' local governments.
E-governance refers to the use of more minimal electronic systems in government
operations, with the goal of storing, gathering, recognizing, and disseminating
bandwidth and data affecting daily operations to the civilian population on
demand. In this paper give review on
e-governance in urban local bodies.
Keywords: E-governance, local government,
political system, local bodies, urban.
INTRODUCTION
E-Governance,
often known as "electronic governance," is the use of electronic
communication and information systems to improve governmental operations and
foster "smart" (or "simple"), "moral,"
"accountable," "responsive," and "transparent"
(SMART) administration. Public administrators all around the globe are rapidly
adopting E-government initiatives, which reimagine E-government services by
leveraging the power of technology for communication and information.[1]
What
we mean by "e-governance" (or "e-gov") is the use of ICTs
to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of
government-to-government and government-to-citizen and government-to-business
interactions, as well as to give citizens and businesses more control over
government decisions. The introduction of the World Wide Web in the 1990s
ushered in a period of global movements toward greater use of IT by government.
Both technological advancements and E-Governance efforts have gone a long way
since then. More and more people have access to the Internet and mobile
devices, and they are finding creative ways to use these tools. Evidence abounds
that the new "E-citizenship" is gaining traction as individuals
increasingly demand to use government and corporate-provided resources online
in order to improve their civic, professional, and personal lives.[2]
With an emphasis on
developing internal government applications for defense, economic monitoring,
planning, and the deployment of IT to manage intensive function related to
elections, senses, tax administration, etc., E-Governance can be traced back to
India in the 1970s. The National Informatics Center's (NIC) work in the '80s to
link all of the district headquarters was groundbreaking. With a policy focus
on reaching out to rural regions and incorporating increased contributions from
NGOs and the business sector, ICT technologies have been supplementing IT
technology from the early 1990s to broaden their usage for broader sectoral
applications. There has been a rise in citizen technology's influence on the
evolution of E-Governance regulations and infrastructure in under-developed
nations.[3]
While computers and
automation have received most of the attention. Connectivity, networking,
system setup for processing information, and service delivery are all areas
where state governments have actively pursued the use of ICT technologies. This
has been implemented on a small scale, for example, by automating IT in certain
departments. Service delivery for high-volume recurring transactions like bill
payment, tax payments, and meeting provision, and electronic file management and
workflow systems are all examples. Some projects have prioritized improving
lives, while others have prioritized facilitating the citizen-state interaction
for different government services. Every state government has established an IT
task group to draft an IT policy statement, and citizen charters have begun to
emerge on state and local government websites. [4]
While improved
administration and service delivery may be the more obvious exterior motive for
governments to adopt IT-enabled operations, this transition may also be seen as
an investment with the possibility of a return. Recent examples of E-Government
initiatives launched by different state governments are shown below.
E-Government goes beyond just automating administrative tasks. Putting up webpages
and establishing information centers in underserved neighborhoods. E-Government
aims to improve government in three ways: efficiency, effectiveness, and
citizen empowerment. The state of Haryana has been at the forefront of
implementing E-Governance initiatives that prioritize the needs of its citizens
and guarantee top-notch service delivery, both of which contribute to the
ultimate goal of making all public services in the state accessible online.
It's impossible to discount E-Government's impact on Haryana.[5]
The chief-secretary
chairs the State Level Steering Committee for IT-PRISM, which also includes the
Joint Sectary of IT. The committee has been given the following
responsibilities by the government of Haryana: to decide the priorities of
industries to be taken up for computerization; to review the advancement of
implementation of IT Action Plan of departments, boards, and corporations; to
approve budget and sanction posts or expenditure for IT; and to devise the
means for the promotion of IT education in Haryana.[6]
The Secretary,
Information Technology and Electronics, acts as chairman of the Technical
Committee, which also includes the Managing Director of HARTRON, the Joint
Secretary of IT, the Secretary of IT, the State Information Officer of the
National Informatics Center in Haryana, and three IT experts nominated by the
state government. To aid the steering committee, i.e. IT-PRISM, in their
efforts to standardize hardware, software, and databases; to evaluate IT
technologies; to build framework contracts; to set up standards for hardware
and software purchasing; and to approve course curricula for all varieties of
computer courses.[7]
Citizens, company
owners, government officials, and workers may all benefit from e-governance
services. These four e-governance diagrams are as follows:
From government to
the people; G2C.
Governing to
governing; G2G.
Administration to
workers; G2E.
Government to
business, G2B.
Models' types of service provision.
·
The ability to pay utilities such as water, telephone,
electricity, etc., online.
·
Have the application
registered.
·
Licenses may now be issued digitally..
This kudos to
governments for providing capital-intensive services. Some data has to be
exchanged across various government departments, bureaus, and organizations.
Some examples of services and data are as follows:
The cooperation of
law enforcement agencies from different states Preparation, approval,
distribution, and optical of all government papers are all part of the
government projection exchange. e-governance.[8]
This approach
improves communication between the government and its workers. In this
arrangement, the government and its employees may safely store and exchange the
data they need to carry out their duties. All forms of information input .[9]
All types of work may
be reported by employees online.
Businessmen
facilitate the feedback loop between the public sector and the private sector,
as well as between the two. This approach allows for the exchange of data
between them, such as:
·
Taxation and collection.
·
Rule and data sharing of any type is encouraged.
·
All fees and fines must be paid in full.
·
Approving or disapproving laws and imposing penalties.
There are several
ways to quantify the success of governments using the Internet. The early
e-business surfaces were those on which all relevant information was made
available, followed by platforms on which bidirectional transactions between
government entities were made possible. The amount of success may reasonably
predict the next step in development.[10]
1.
Information- In the
first phase, government entities will provide information about themselves to
the public. Websites passively offered information, such as the public
organization's mission and contact details. The actual services rendered are
left out of these statistics. Departments, not functions, are in charge of
maintaining websites, which means that they can only be updated so often. The
vast majority of websites nowadays look like this.
2.
Interaction-
These websites become two-way communication tools when citizens
are able to update their personal information (such as a new address) using
information collected through electronic means like email. Calling or mailing
in a request to the government is obsolete. Downloadable content files detail a
wider range of topics, capabilities, and services, while offline fillable forms
may be submitted in the same fashion. However, there is a lack of responses.
Numerous similar websites exist, with many reliant on the basic medium of
electronic mail.
3.
Transaction- A license
or fee is paid, or taxes are filed, or some other official exchange of value
takes place. In this tier, web-based self-services replace in-person
interactions with government employees, however offline routes may still be
necessary.
4.
Transformation- Integration of government services
and a pathway to them based on people' demands may replace the conventional
structure of departments and agencies to provide government services. Users may
get unified services from several government agencies without having to learn
the intricacies of each one by accessing these services via a single portal.
5. The Pros and Cons of Electronic Government
The following are
some of the benefits and drawbacks of e-governance.
·
It has made it easier for government workers to do their jobs,
saving them time and allowing them to be more efficient.
·
A centralized, decentralized, and statewide network for district
administration has been set up thanks to the implementation of e-Government.
·
It's helped open up government and put vital resources at people's
fingertips.
·
E-governance allows public servants to do their jobs more
efficiently and effectively. Government programs and directives are being
heavily promoted.
·
A significant proportion of complaints are filed using online
platforms with the district collector.
The authorities are
not adequately educated with the notion of e-governance, despite the fact that
all the districts have fully functional computer systems and other gadgets to
support e-governance.[11]
·
People's engagement in the process of good governance is not as high as
expected, even after the introduction of e-government, for a number of reasons
including a lack of awareness, illiteracy, lack of adequate information, etc.
·
People who live in remote areas or who lack access to computers are mostly
shut out of the e-governance revolution.
·
Another issue10 is a lack of district administrative staff.
Without a doubt, the
central and state governments' sincere interest for grassroots democracy is
shown in their attempts to reform urban governments via the 74th Constitutional
Amendment Act (1992). Even after making structural modifications and giving
these organizations constitutional legitimacy, it is depressing to observe the
poor performance of local urban institutions. Several reports and analyses have
left us with the impression that city councils have not been successful in
their mission to transform municipal governments into genuine democratic
institutions and effective instruments for creating urban environments fit for
human habitation. The ideas of municipal administration have clearly not been
applied in their full spirit. These city governments continue to act as social
clubs for the city's political elite. [12]
They have failed
because factionalism has been encouraged. In particular, the engagement of
marginalized groups and women has fallen short of expectations. These
organizations have struggled due to a lack of funding. The urban municipal
authorities in India have lost confidence due to a number of issues, including
a lack of competent administration and a flawed Municipal personnel structure.
Given the dismal state of urban local bodies across India, it was thought
important to conduct an empirical study on urban local governments in Haryana
following the implementation of the Municipal Act, 1994, which incorporated the
provisions of the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992. The purpose of the
study was to determine the extent to which the desired objectives as envisioned
in the Amendment Act have actually been achieved.
URBAN GOVERNMENT IN INDIA
The history
of municipal government in India predates the history of Indian culture. Indian
cities, towns, and hamlets possessed democratic institutions similar to those
established by the Greeks centuries earlier in their city-states. Our ability
to reshape municipal institutions in light of our previous experiences is aided
by the fact that we have a history of municipal government development in the
state of Andhra Pradesh to look back on. Research into political or administrative
structures is based on conjecture rather than fact without access to relevant
historical records. For this reason, it is crucial to investigate the
beginnings and development of municipal administration. [13]
This
chapter looks at the evolution of city governments from antiquity to the
present day. Despite widespread belief to the contrary, ancient India was home
to both sprawling cities and decentralized republics of farmers and artisans.
Our ancient texts provide abundant, vivid evidence of a sophisticated urban
administration structure in India. Well-planned brick built cities with
comfortable houses that had bathrooms, water supply, and good drainage were
inhabited by the early Indians of the Indus Valley civilization, which dates
back to 3000 BC, as evidenced by excavations at Mohenjadaro in the lower India
and Harappa in the Montgomery District of Punjab, which now forms a part of
Pakistan. They were well ahead of the times compared to modern-day communities.
If you look at the city's well-designed streets and spectacular sewer system,
both of which are maintained by frequent clearing, you can see that the city
administration is paying attention. In the predominantly rural economy of the
Vedic period of ancient India's history, when the concept of sovereignty had
not attained crystallization, local government in the absence of any strong
centralized authority enjoyed considerable measure of autonomy and embraced
decentralized decision-making.
clearing up
the drains on a regular basis is indicative of a vigilant local authority. Over
the course of many reconstructions necessitated by floods, its power was
sufficient to ensure the respect of town planning, bye-laws, and the
preservation of recognized lines for streets and dwellings.2 . Local government
in ancient India, which was largely rural during the Vedic period when the
concept of sovereignty had not yet crystallized, enjoyed a large degree of
autonomy and encompassed practically the entire life of the community because
there was no strong centralized authority to constrain it.
Ancient and
Medieval Period
Local
governance may be traced back to ancient India. Local administration is assumed
to have existed in the distant past on the basis of historical documents,
excavations, and archaeological research. Manu, who is referred to as the
"Superintendent of all affairs" and "elevated in rank very
formidable," like a planet amid the stars, is defined as
"Punapati" in the Rigveda, which is a phrase comparable to "city
father."[14]
The Paura
Guild, Nigama, Puga, and Gana are only few of the examples of local governments
with administrative and legislative roles, as well as tax and levy collection,
that are documented in the two Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
During the time of Hindu dominance that followed, town committees continued to
operate under the names "Gosthis" and "Mahajan Samitees"
(53 Andhra University, Visakhapatnam). The authorities recognized and
appreciated the samitees' role as representatives.
A regular
strategy in town management was envisioned in Kautiiya, one that was tailored
to address the normal issues faced by cities. According to his worldview,
'Nagarika' served as Mayor of the city and oversaw a wide range of
responsibilities related to municipal government. It seems that the city's
administration, including the upkeep of the drainage system and the cleanliness
of the roadways, was once overseen by a chief executive officer, with the same
name as the city itself ('Nagarika').8 'Stanika' functioned as a council member
or ward member, and each of the town's four sections (wards) was responsible
for its upkeep. A government officer known only as "Gopa" was put in
charge of supervising groups of ten to twenty houses inside each ward.
According to Meghasthenes Indica, the capital city of Meghasthenes was
administered by a thirty-person Municipal Board with six subcommittees. The
first committee's job was to make sure the streets were safe for everyone. The
second group was responsible for conducting population counts and keeping a
citywide registry of births and deaths. The third committee oversaw commercial
activity and performed weighing and measuring checks. The fourth committee was
in charge of keeping an eye on production, while the fifth was in charge of
bringing in money from sales taxes. The sixth committee looked out for the
interests of the craftspeople and producers.[15]
The great
towns of the Mauryan and Guptan empires—Patiliputra, Ujjain, and Takshila—were
the pinnacle of urban civilization of the time. During the Gupta era, municipal
government is established. During this time, cities were typically run by a
council known as the Parishad, and elected administrative officials played an
important part in municipal government.
Muslim
Period
During the
time of Mughal rule in India, a town's administration was entrusted to an
official known as a "Kotwal," who was responsible for a wide range of
municipal tasks and had last say over all issues of magisterial, police, and
fiscal power. He was responsible for maintaining order in the city, managing
the marketplace, distributing the assets of the deceased, preventing crime and
social abuses, overseeing the slaughterhouses and cemeteries, and keeping a
ward-by-ward population registry and spy network. The Kotwal had sufficient administrative
support to carry fulfill these responsibilities. Thus, he had not only
municipal and governmental but also social roles in the governance of Muslim
India.[16]
Post-independence
Period
The year
1947, when India finally won its freedom, was a watershed event in the
evolution of its municipal governments. A number of state governments in the
United States have begun making attempts to restructure urban local government
institutions in their states via the introduction of suitable legislation. Legislative,
administrative, financial, and judicial forms of control were all made
available by the new laws. State governments' administrative authority also
extended to the ability to publish guidelines for the orderly administration of
local affairs and the prudent administration of municipal finances. The new
laws also allow for state intervention in cases of extreme mismanagement of
municipal affairs, administrative indiscipline and chaos due to excessive
partisan politics, and serious violations of the canons of financial propriety
or indulgence of gross violations of laws, rules, and regulations.[17]
CONCLUSION
The
Directorate of Urban Local Bodies Department, Haryana was founded on April 1st,
1982 with the goal of better coordinating and controlling the functioning of
municipalities within the State. The Department was set up to provide momentum
for the 74th Amendment to the Constitution and to provide a firm groundwork for
Urban Development in the State of Haryana. The inhabitants of Haryana, one of India's
most forward-thinking states, take great care to be informed about developments
in international affairs. The department's workload has increased exponentially
as the population in metropolitan areas has grown and with it, the need for
greater infrastructure and more services that improve the quality of life
there. The Department advocates for a new and improved system of governance
that can more efficiently and effectively offer public services to residents at
a lower cost and with fewer administrative burdens
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