“Nobody can stop an idea whose time has come,” observed Dr. Manmohan Singh, India’s Former Prime Minister, emphatically in Parliament in 1993 while introducing LPG reforms in the country as the then Finance Minister of India. Against the backdrop of minimal foreign exchange reserves in the country, the much-needed reform, which was the need of the hour, was introduced, helping India get rid of the Inspector Raj and transforming the country altogether in the ensuing time.
A true leader often understands the situation and comes up with forward-thinking solutions that change the direction of the country, state, company, or any field they are related to. Dr. Manmohan Singh felt the pulse of the imperative need to open the Indian market, which was hitherto a closed economy disguised as a mixed economy. Similarly, Dr. Ravi Gupta, a young, dynamic leader in his prime energy, travelled across the world and came up with the idea of fostering ICT-based initiatives in the country through print media, which led to the establishment of eGov magazine in 2005, which in a few years emerged as Asia’s and the Middle East’s only magazine in eGovernance. Since the inception of eGov magazine in 2005, it has been a go-to for government officials, policymakers, industry experts, and common people when it comes to knowing and disseminating technology-related developments in any sector of the economy.
“In developing countries such as India, the private sector, with its ever-increasing overseas software business, is forcing the governments to explore adopting IT proactively. This leads to hundreds of isolated champions in the government trying to computerize their departments and organizations. Many such initiatives are known, but many more are unknown. It is a situation in which every officer has to invent his/her wheel and wait and watch. And computerization is just the first step!
Our eGov magazine is an attempt to help document these successful initiatives from India and worldwide, especially from developing countries facing similar struggles. Also, we are looking at eGov as a forum for viewpoints from citizens, NGOs, private players, academics, and government officials who could share their successes and failures on a single platform,” wrote Dr. Ravi Gupta in the editorial of eGov magazine’s maiden edition.
Between 2000-2005, the early years of the twenty-first century, when the Internet was spreading its wings in India, when computer proliferation was at a nascent stage when India’s emergence as a knowledge economy was at an incipient stage, the launch of eGov magazine was a perfect endeavor and a more timely one to accelerate and catalyze India’s eGovernance journey.
It was a time when we looked at the whole question of information rights from a new perspective. The push has been on access to official government information in the past. Much of this was codified in law in most developed countries (and many developing countries). The rise of the Internet created new expectations, and citizens began demanding accountability from private sector organizations. Thus, governments had a role in providing better access to government information, leading discussions on how private sector organizations would be more accountable to the citizens, and contemplating what legislation might be necessary.
At that time, IT emerged as a pivotal tool for government reform and innovation, facilitating reduced corruption, swifter service delivery, and enhanced responsiveness to citizen needs. In India and similar developing countries, the private sector’s expanding global software ventures compel governments to proactively explore IT integration, spawning numerous internal champions striving to digitize departments and organizations. Although many such initiatives are known, countless others remain concealed, leaving each officer to reinvent the wheel, a mere prelude to broader digitization efforts.
In light of this, eGov magazine was founded to chronicle these initiatives worldwide, particularly in developing nations facing analogous challenges. It also aimed to serve as a platform for diverse perspectives from citizens, NGOs, private entities, academics, and government officials.
eGovernance in India gradually progressed from the computerisation of Government Departments to initiatives such as citizen-centricity, service orientation and transparency. Over the years, various state governments and central ministries have undertaken many e-governance projects. Sustained efforts have been made at multiple levels to improve the delivery of public services and simplify the process of accessing them. The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) takes a holistic view of e-Governance initiatives across the country, integrating them into a collective vision, a shared cause.
Initial steps taken towards eGovernance
- The first step towards electronics governance in India was marked by the formation of the Department of Electronics in 1970.
- To computerise all district offices in the country, the District Information System program was launched by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) established in 1977.
- The launch of NICNET– the national satellite-based computer network in 1987, provided the push for e-governance.
- A National Task Force on Information Technology and Software Development was set up in 1998.
- The Ministry of Information Technology’s creation happened at the Centre in 1999.
- The National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) was set up in Hyderabad in 2002.
- A National Policy on Open Standards for e-Governance was notified in November 2010.
- The National Policy on Information Technology (NPIT) was approved in 2012.
The Journey Spread: eGov magazine 50th &100th Edition
Charting the trajectory forward in May 2009, eGov magazine celebrated its 50th edition. At this juncture, in mid-2009, India had demonstrated its fervent embrace of technology, evident in the surge of mobile telephony and the plethora of services built upon it. India had surged ahead, outstripping China and marking a distinctive global lead. The advent of e-services, in particular, hinted at an exponential growth phase within the country, positioning India as a recognized trailblazer in innovative ICT utilization for development. This prowess extended notably into domains integral to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, such as education, health, and agriculture.
“The journey of e-governance can be put into a framework where we live in a country with asymmetric digital acceptance and penetration. To the outside world, India is thought of as an IT hub. However, India lives in many layers. Some parts of the country are so remote that often enough, we say that time stands still there, posing a challenge for e-governance. So it is a time spectrum where some keep racing with the latest, and some are in far-flung areas. The Department of IT’s National e-Governance Programme tried to bridge the digital divide by taking digital services to the people.” said N Ravi Shanker, IAS, then Additional Secretary & Administrator, USOF, Department of Telecommunication, Ministry of Communications and IT, Government of India
Navigating the tumultuous seas of the 2008 Global Recession, domestic political upheavals, and a sluggish economy, eGov magazine reached its illustrious 100th milestone, which was launched by the Honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh at the prestigious eINDIA 2013 Summit held in Hyderabad on 23-24 July 2013.
“It is encouraging that eGov is releasing its 100th issue. The magazine fills a critical gap in the knowledge dissemination aspect of e-Governance. Its content motivates administrators and project managers regarding various projects and their implementation in the country. This task should have been undertaken by DeitY to showcase success stories, encouraging people to strive for better work in e-Governance. I would like to compliment the editorial team of eGov for producing a magazine that serves as a vehicle for such positive change.” wrote Shri J Satyanarayana, Erstwhile Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communications & Information Technology Government of India.
Launching the 100th edition of eGov, Dr. Ravi Gupta, the Editor-in-Chief of eGov Magazine, expressed that when the magazine commenced its journey 99 months ago, e-Governance was nascent. He noted that by 2013, e-Governance had transformed into a major revolution. He mentioned that they, at eGov magazine, consider themselves blessed because they had the chance to cover almost every aspect of the developments in e-Governance in their country. He highlighted that they had conducted extensive coverage of the stakeholders engaged in developing new ideas for utilizing ICT to bring efficiency, accountability, and transparency to various citizen and business-related government initiatives.
2014 – The Rise of Narendra Modi, A PM Who Embraces Technology Like None
In a stunning election performance, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decisively won the 2014 General Election with a full majority. This time, Prime Minister Modi’s electoral campaign took place on social media platforms as much as on rural India’s streets.
During his address at the Elets eIndia Summit in Gujarat, Shri Narendra Modi underscored the significance of Technology, emphasizing that the amalgamation of IT (Information Technology) and Indian Talent (IT) symbolizes India’s Tomorrow (IT). This equation illustrates the forward-thinking and visionary leadership he embodies.
Mastering technology in an election campaign is not a guaranteed route to power. However, the impact of technology can be crucial. After coming to Power, PM Modi launched various technology-related initiatives to accelerate the speed of eGovernance in India. The Modi Government has undertaken significant efforts to harness the potential of e-governance initiatives to transform the delivery of public services and enhance the overall
governance framework.
On July 1, 2015, the Indian government launched Digital India, a flagship programme with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Some notable projects under the Digital India Initiative include Digital Locker, e-Hospital, MyGov, and BharatNet.
eGov 150th edition and Launch of Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN)
When India was preparing for the formalization of the economy by introducing the GST system, eGov magazine was preparing to launch its 150th edition.
Both events took place around the same time, i.e., July 2017. The idea of a nationwide GST in India was first proposed by the Kelkar Task Force on Indirect taxes in 2000. Around the same time, Dr Ravi Gupta shaped the introduction of eGov magazine.
“I am glad that eGov, Asia & Middle East’s premier and India’s first magazine on e-Governance, reached the landmark 150th issue in July 2017. It is a commendable feat for a magazine dedicated to eGovernance and has been published uninterruptedly for the last 12 years. Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are trying to transform the country through the ‘Digital India’ programme and changing people’s lives through technology while rendering government services to the citizens. In this context, eGov magazine is playing an important role. I was told that eGov magazine, published by Elets Technomedia Pvt Ltd, has documented eGovernance success stories across India for over a decade. I congratulate them for doing this. I hope eGov magazine continues to create awareness of the use of ICT for good governance and help connect the government and industry while highlighting the views and opinions of the citizens of our country on the importance of eGovemance for good governance. Best wishes to the eGov magazine for all its endeavours in the future.” wrote Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Then Hon’ble Union Minister for Electronics & IT.
The cataclysmic COVID and eGov Magazine 200th edition
When the deadly COVID-19 first emerged in India, there was uncertainty regarding its impact and how the country would respond. However, thanks to India’s technological advancements and the efforts of eGov magazine in documenting best practices in technological intervention in governance and disseminating information, India managed to combat the disease with lower mortality rates. Technologies such as telemedicine, teleconsultancy, Zoom meetings, and Google meetings played pivotal roles in keeping the nation on a growth trajectory despite widespread lockdowns nationally and globally.
eGov magazine reached its 200th milestone in May 2020, having played a significant role in disseminating ICT-based information, documenting success stories, and providing platforms for government officials, policymakers, and industry experts to share their insights and learning experiences.
“In times of crisis like the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, advanced technological measures become indispensable for maintaining operations. Whether it’s facilitating work from home, monitoring quarantined cases, or enabling online education, technology-powered solutions have been crucial during this challenging period,” Dr. Santhosh Babu, former Principal Secretary IT to the Government of Tamil Nadu and CMD of Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation, emphasized the necessity of mandating digital interventions and technological methods of functioning by the Government of India during a live webinar organized by Elets Technomedia.
Special Souvenir with Governments
eGov magazine has partnered with several state governments to produce a comprehensive document showcasing their remarkable journeys. Among these achievements stands out the unveiling of our special souvenir at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2019 and 2024.
In 2019, Shri Venkaiah Naidu, the then Vice President of India, inaugurated the industry’s special souvenir of the Gujarat Government at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. This year, we collaborated with the Energy & Petrochemicals Department of Gujarat to launch a special souvenir highlighting the state’s energy prowess. The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat unveiled this special souvenir during the tenth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January 2024.
Similarly, we partnered with the Invest UP Department of Uttar Pradesh to present a special souvenir spotlighting the business and investment opportunities in the state. This distinguished souvenir was inaugurated by Shri Yogi Adityanath ji, the Honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, at the recently concluded Ground Breaking Ceremony 4 in Lucknow this February.
eGov 250th edition and the Journey Continues
In our unwavering commitment to drive India’s transformation through ICT-based initiatives, eGov magazine has been a catalyzing force, marking a significant milestone with its 250th edition – a distinction unmatched in Asia and the Middle East. This landmark edition will be unveiled at the 2nd Elets Atmanirbhar Bharat Summit in New Delhi on March 1st.
The vision we conceived two decades ago has borne fruit through numerous transformative outcomes. We take pride in eGov magazine’s contribution to India’s journey of metamorphosis over the last twenty years. Additionally, through many conferences and summits held across India and globally, Elets Technomedia, the parent organization of eGov magazine, has made remarkable strides.
“From its inception, eGov Magazine has distinguished itself as an exceptional publication within its niche, commendably bridging the gap between e-governance professionals and IT experts across India and, impressively, extending its reach internationally. This accomplishment speaks volumes of your visionary foresight in recognizing the critical need for such a platform in e-governance when it was just budding. Your ability to foresee the potential in this area deserves high praise.
I am sending my heartfelt compliments to you and your team for your remarkable work under your leadership. The impact of your efforts in advancing e-governance and fostering a community of learning and collaboration is truly commendable,” said Neeta Verma, Director General, NIC, Government of India
Collaborating with state governments throughout India, we have orchestrated impactful events spanning various sectors of the economy, notably in eGovernance, eHealth, Digital Learning, and BFSI domains. With over 200 events and conferences organized, featuring more than 10,000 speakers and attracting over 90,000 delegates, our initiatives have encompassed 29 states and 30 sectors. Furthermore, we have witnessed the presence of approximately 2,500 government officials sharing their invaluable administrative experiences.
Together, we will continue to bring further positive changes in the ICT sectors of the economy and help India achieve the status of a developed Nation by 2047.
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