On July 2, 2015, PM Narendra Modi launched an ambitious campaign to digitally empower the country and ensure that government services are made available to citizens electronically. A little over two years later, however, Goa has all but failed on this front. According to information provided in the Goa Assembly, only 9 of the state's 191 village panchayats have their own websites. Even worse, only one - the VP of Navelim - has bothered to keep its site updated. From maintaining status of RTI applications to up-do-date records of the number of construction licenses and occupancy certificates issued, Navelim VP is all about efficiency, transparency and ease of governance. Best of all, the VP extends residents the facility of paying house tax online - a service no other panchayat in Goa offers.
There is no doubt that Modi was right when he claimed that reforming the citizen-government interface and processes of governance would be a challenge in itself. It is also true, however, that digital technology is permeating into more and more aspects of our lives with people resorting to the digital platform for everything from booking train and flight tickets, to filing our tax returns and even applying for a passport. And let's not forget the most popular application of them all - e-shopping.
It is time we face reality - while the world has made great strides in the field of ICTs, we are nowhere close to realising our ‘digital dream'. That being said, the question remains: if Navelim can do it, why can't the rest?
There is no doubt that Modi was right when he claimed that reforming the citizen-government interface and processes of governance would be a challenge in itself. It is also true, however, that digital technology is permeating into more and more aspects of our lives with people resorting to the digital platform for everything from booking train and flight tickets, to filing our tax returns and even applying for a passport. And let's not forget the most popular application of them all - e-shopping.
It is time we face reality - while the world has made great strides in the field of ICTs, we are nowhere close to realising our ‘digital dream'. That being said, the question remains: if Navelim can do it, why can't the rest?
