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The way governments communicate with their citizens has been revolutionised by ICT enabled tools and technologies, and Karnataka has led the way in this revolution shares, Dileesh Sasi, IAS, Director, Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services (EDCS), eGovernance Department, Government of Karnataka with Krishna Mishra of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

Karnataka’s Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services (EDCS) Directorate is a very unique department, perhaps unparalleled in the country. What is its mandate, and what has been the progress so far since its inception in 2007?

The electronic delivery of citizen services has revolutionised the way governments interact with their citizens. In India, the state of Karnataka has been at the forefront of this transformation. The department responsible for providing electronic delivery of citizen services was established in 2007, and since then, it has made remarkable progress in making government services accessible to all.

The department’s primary objective is to help citizens become aware of all the services offered by the government of Karnataka and various other government services through a common platform. Additionally, the department aims to assist citizens in obtaining these services, especially those who are not capable of doing so on their own.

The department’s journey started with an online platform for delivering services, which has now expanded to include multiple levels of service delivery. First, there is the online platform, Seva Sindhu, where citizens can access more than 800 services from over 80 government departments. Second, the department has established service centers where operators assist citizens in obtaining the services they require. These centers are present in every village and urban local body, ensuring that all citizens have access to government services.

Furthermore, the department plans to take the service delivery model to the next level by introducing home delivery services. Similar to online food delivery platforms, citizens will be able to order services from their homes, and the department will deliver them at their convenience.

The department has made significant progress over the years, with over 10,000 service centers established throughout the state of Karnataka. These centers offer a range of services, including government-to-citizen services such as Ayushman Cards, PAN cards, Aadhaar services, and more. The department also offers some businessto-consumer services, such as insurance, banking, and booking services.

The electronic delivery of citizen services has transformed the way governments interact with their citizens. It has made it easier for citizens to access government services, and it has also increased transparency and accountability in government operations. The department responsible for providing electronic delivery of citizen services in Karnataka has done a remarkable job in achieving these goals. Their journey so far has been impressive, and it is clear that they are committed to improving their service delivery models further.

Digital connectivity and infrastructure in rural areas are cause of concern. How do you plan to address it?

The state of Karnataka is fortunate to have good connectivity in most of its rural areas, with more than 80-85 per cent of the rural population having access to it. Although there may be some issues faced in remote locations, telecom service providers are actively working to resolve them. The government is also taking steps to extend connectivity to the gram panchayat level through the state wide area network, which will benefit not only government offices but also local centers. While there are plans to further develop this network, for now, the state must rely on the telecom service providers to provide reliable connectivity.

What are the scope and opportunities for public-private partnerships in your department?

As a serving officer,, I can attest to the success of our PPP model for managing services and platforms for our citizens. Our main centers are the primary focus of our department, and we have two private agencies that were selected through a transparent tender process to manage all the operational activities for these centers.

These operational partners are responsible for maintaining the franchises, providing technical support, and managing all advertisement activities. They are the backbone of our operational model and ensure that our centers run smoothly and efficiently.

We also have last-mile operators, who are private individuals from the same village or locality. These operators invest a certain amount of money to set up a center, purchase the necessary equipment, and maintain connectivity. They are local entrepreneurs who have invested in our PPP model to provide services to the citizens of their community.

The last-mile operators generate revenue through their centers, and the citizens benefit from the services provided by them. Our operational partners provide hand-holding, training, and technological support to these operators to ensure their success.

Our department takes overall responsibility for the welfare of our last-mile operators and ensures that they receive the support they need to run their centers efficiently. This approach has proved to be highly successful in providing essential services to citizens across the country.

Where do you see EDCS in the coming years?

The current state of citizen services and their future evolution is a topic of concern for many. As technology advances and databases become more sophisticated, the system needs to become more robust to keep up with the demand for efficient and convenient service delivery.

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The department secretary has taken an initiative to re-engineer existing processes, incorporating technological advances to make the services more seamless and convenient for citizens. The aim is to reduce the amount of time citizens spend in service centers by making the online service delivery mechanism more robust. The system should allow citizens to avail of all the services they are entitled to through a single identification number, eliminating the need for manual data entry and document scanning.

In the future, citizens may be able to avail themselves of services through an online mechanism, reducing the need for physical service centers. Service centers may need to reinvent themselves to provide other kinds of services, such as delivering welfare schemes, vocational training, and medical consultations. Diversification is essential to ensure the long-term viability of service centers.

The government is planning to offer consultation and medical services, vocational training, and other welfare schemes through service centers. These centers will become one-stop centers for all citizens’ activities. However, as citizens become more tech-savvy, they may opt to use online mechanisms to avail themselves of services, reducing the need for physical service centers.

The future of service centers is to provide home delivery services, expanding to rural areas where luxury is not yet available. The department is also developing mobile apps for service delivery and welfare scheme delivery. The long-term plan is to provide citizens with a seamless and convenient service delivery mechanism, reducing the time and effort needed to avail themselves of services.

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