🔊 Take a moment and listen

The use of technology not only enhances transparency in the system but also improves efficiency and facilitates the timely delivery of services, ultimately leading to a greater outreach shares Subha Kalyan, Director, eGovernance, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Dept., Government of Karnataka with Krishna Mishra of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

How are you harnessing technology to change the governance landscape in rural areas?

Technology can be used first for innovation, and second for good governance. We are attempting to use technology to promote good governance. One of its applications is to make as many government schemes and services available to citizens as possible. As a result, this is an outreach to citizens and an enabler for better administration for Gram Panchayat staff.

Technology serves not only as a means for citizens to access government services and programs but also for government offices to operate more effectively. Its role is to facilitate efficient and effective governance that benefits government staff and citizens. Rather than being used as a tool for policing, technology gives a helpful push in the right direction, enabling staff to work more productively and efficiently. Therefore, technology is an enabler of good governance and an efficient way of connecting with citizens. The use of technology not only enhances transparency in the system but also improves efficiency and facilitates the timely delivery of services, ultimately leading to a greater outreach. For instance, at our Bapuji seva kendra, citizens can track the progress of their applications and see exactly how long it takes for them to be processed. This service is integrated into the government’s administration. By leveraging technology, we aim to provide basic good governance and deepen democracy. Through technology, we can reach more people and encourage greater participation in the planning process. Even in remote areas with just a few households, we make sure that discussions take place and their needs are considered. The ultimate goal is to deepen democracy and enhance the efficiency of governance through technology.

Tell us about some of the key e-governance initiatives of your department.

The RDPR department has remained committed to its legacy, and this vision has been shared by all of our officers, including the Chief Secretaries and Additional Chief Secretaries. It has taken almost a decade for this vision to come to fruition.

The journey towards achieving our current state has been a lengthy process, and we must acknowledge and appreciate the collective efforts of those who made it possible. The vision to enable e-governance and e-initiatives in RDPR was set almost a decade ago. One of the key initiatives in this regard are Panchatantra, which serves as a tool for both citizens and government staff. The functions of the administrative processes are defined by the Karnataka Panchayat Gram Swaraj Act. Two new initiatives were implemented for the first time across the entire nation through Panchatantra 2.0.

To ensure more disciplined and regular meetings at the Gram Panchayat (GP) level, we have implemented an online meeting management system in Panchatantra 2.0. The system covers all meetings defined in the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, including gram sabha, ward sabha, and habitation sabha.

The process begins with creating a meeting notice and marking the attendance of all elected representatives through biometric authentication. The system only allows the meeting to start once the quorum is met, and the agenda and discussion points are displayed. Members can express their agreement or disagreement with each agenda item, and the meeting is closed with the digital signature of the chairperson. The minutes of the meeting are immediately generated and sent via SMS with a URL to all members.

The other initiative is called perspective planning, which is a 10-step process aimed at creating a vision document for a gram panchayat. This process involves an integrated approach that takes into account the health, education, and other requirements of the gram panchayat, aligning with sustainable development goals. Data is collected, and focus group discussions are held in at least one habitation to determine where the village wants to be five years from now. The results of these discussions are then presented at the gram panchayat meetings, including standing committee meetings, general body meetings, and gram sabhas. An orientation gram sabha is held to showcase the current status and target, short-term goals, and medium and long-term goals.

Another initiative we are undertaking is gathering citizen feedback. The perspective plan that is being formulated is made available to citizens via SMS and a URL link, enabling them to view the planned activities for their gram panchayat for the upcoming year. Citizens can provide their feedback, suggesting the addition or removal of activities, prioritization changes, and other inputs. The entire process is inclusive, and the PDO is required to provide justifications for each feedback action taken. This is the first time such an initiative is being implemented in the country. These are the two initiatives we have undertaken and are striving to implement.

How do you capture the data at the grassroots level?

Our main challenge was that although data existed in different departments, it was not available at the village level. We required village-level information, such as the number of primary schools and Anganwadi. We obtained the data by collecting it from the district-level offices and creating committees at the village and gram panchayat levels. These committees consisted of government staff, volunteers, retired officers, self-help groups, and district and taluk-level officers who were responsible for data collection. This was a massive and laborious exercise, and I must express my gratitude to the field functionaries who showed great enthusiasm. We have now completed this exercise and achieved a hundred per cent focus. Our two main initiatives were meeting management and perspective planning.

Additionally, the salary processing for gram panchayat staff is now carried out via EFMs, which has allowed us to obtain data on the number of pending staff salaries across different gram panchayats at the state level. This information flow is essential given the size of the state, which comprises 6,000-gram panchayats.

In 2016, the Gandhi Sakshi kayaka application was developed to keep track of the physical and financial progress of development activities carried out under various schemes. The application allows for geo-tagged and geofenced photographs to be taken throughout the different stages of an activity, from initial to final. Another initiative, Ebelaku, was developed to address the issue of pendency in bill payments and maintenance of revenue registers. This application is aimed at generating bills for every active RR number in the GP and keeping track of the pending bills and amounts in the accounts. The Ebelaku application has already facilitated payments of around 60 crores and is a new and important initiative.

We have established a direct integration with best com, which enables the display of bills linked to the RR number and the number of RR numbers in each GP. This is the first initiative. The second initiative, Pan 2.0, is an application that has evolved over the past decade and now features new functionalities such as planning and meeting management, Ebelaku, and Gandhi Sakshi kayaka.

When you talk of e-governance there has to be robust IT infrastructure at the grassroots level. So what type of challenges do you face in rolling out effective e-governance in the far new corners of the state?

We have now reached a point where every citizen, whether urban or rural, is equipped with an Android phone and is aware of their rights and entitlements to basic amenities. However, the main challenge we face is providing adequate training to all the gram panchayat staff to use the applications effectively, as digital literacy is a crucial aspect. It is important to ensure that the system is user-friendly and easy to navigate, especially for those who are not familiar with digital technology. The main challenge, therefore, is to transfer knowledge and skills to the staff effectively. On the other hand, the citizens’ interfaces are simple and intuitive, and the BSK portal has been designed specifically for the citizens to use with ease. This portal is separate from Panchatantra and any applications entered through BSK will be reflected in Panchatantra as the PDO processes them.

Although we aimed to make Panchatantra user-friendly, some modules still require initial guidance, resulting in some initial obstacles. To address this issue, we have implemented continuous knowledge transfer sessions, doubt-clearing sessions, and YouTube videos, and have appointed master trainers across districts. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that all users across Karnataka have the same level of proficiency in using the system. Nonetheless, we are determined to overcome this challenge.

What are the future plans of the e-governance division of RDPR?

In terms of our future plans, there are four main areas where we a’re focusing on. Firstly, we’re exploring the implementation of visualization tools to help users better understand the data they’re working with. For example, if we tell someone that there are 900 children in a village who need to attend school, but only 800 are currently enrolled, simply presenting those numbers may not effectively convey the impact of the situation. However, if we use visual aids to show that 800 children are progressing towards their future while 100 are being left behind, this could create a stronger emotional impact and help users better comprehend the significance of the data.

Also Read | Karnataka’s RDPR Department pioneers tech solutions for rural inclusion

The aim is to make the gram panchayat and villagers comprehend the collected data. To achieve this, there should be a connection between each parameter and its social and economic impact. We plan to introduce visualisation tools at various levels, such as the GP, district, and state, to facilitate a better understanding of the data. Our goal is to have comprehensive visualization of all the data in Panchatantra to enable better planning. We are currently working on developing short visualization tools and will be implementing them soon.

Secondly, we are exploring the use of chatbots, but it is still a developing area. As chatbots are a relatively new technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to their use, and we need to conduct further research and analysis. Our aim is to identify specific areas in BSK or Panchatantra where chatbots could be utilized to automate manual tasks, such as managing help desk inquiries. By automating repetitive tasks through chatbots, we can free up staff to work on other more productive tasks. Additionally, using chatbots could be an effective way to communicate with more people in their local language. We are examining the possibilities of chatbot technology and how it can be effectively integrated into our systems.

The third area of our future focus is WhatsApp integration, which we plan to complete soon. Lastly, we aim to create digital libraries for the 6000 physical libraries that are currently serving around 33 lakh rural children. These are the four initiatives that are immediately on the horizon, and as technology continues to evolve, we will be exploring additional avenues.

Be a part of Elets Collaborative Initiatives. Join Us for Upcoming Events and explore business opportunities. Like us on Facebook , connect with us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter, Instagram.