Convergence and E-Governance : National Informatics Centre – An Active Catalyst and Facilitator in India*
Introduction
1.0 Technological changes, convergence, and deregulation taking
place throughout the World, have
brought about rapid growth in Computer, Communication, Information Technology /
Content Industry Sectors, together with many challenging issues to address.
Changes in markets have led to convergence
of ownership and services, across national boundaries and have created gaps and contradictions in national
policy. Convergence describes a
process change in these industry structures that combines markets
through technological and economic dimensions, to meet merging consumer needs. It is also important to examine individual
cases of convergence of emerging services and technologies, to understand the possible future structures
of these converging sectors.
1.1 E-governance
(Electronic Governance or Digital Governance) is the effective use of
Information Technology (IT) to improve the system of governance that is in
place, and thus provide better services to the Citizens. Introduction of E-governance is considered as a high
priority agenda in India, as it is considered to be the only means of taking IT
to the “Common Public”. Developments in e-governance provide opportunities to
harness the power of Information Technology (IT) to make the business of
governance inexpensive, qualitatively responsive, and truly encompassing.
1.2 National Informatics Centre (NIC) has been instrumental in
steering Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications in
government departments at Central, State and Districts, facilitating improvement in government services, wider
transparency in government functions, and improvement in
decentralised planning and management. NIC has played an important role of an “active” catalyst and “facilitator”
in informatics development
programme in Governments at the national, state and district levels, during the
last 25 years, and has "reached
out into India" during 1985-90 through its NICNET, even before the arrival of “Internet”
Technology, to 550 districts of the Country, which is a land of diversity
with different types of terrain,
various Agro-climatic conditions, different levels of socio-economic
conditions, and varied levels of regional development, etc.
1.3 The Internet (i.e.
network of networks based on TCP/IP communication protocol) is the driving
force of convergence of technologies and services industries. Emergence of
Information Technology on the national agenda and the announcement of IT
policies by various State Governments have recognised the “Convergence of core technologies
and E-Governance” as the tool
for sustainable development and globalisation of economy. The hypothesis: “diversity of applications
and services increases, whenever core technologies converge” holds good. In
view of its impact on socio and economic development of the Country, the
Planning Commission has constituted a Working Group on “Convergence and E-governance”
to formulate proposals for
the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-07),
with the following terms of reference :
¨ Measures for promotion of
e-governance at various levels of Government
¨ Measures for ensuring
seamless transition to convergence of IT, Telecommunication and Broadcasting
Sector
¨ Measures to address the
issue of digital divide and taking the benefits of IT to the Masses
¨ Infrastructure requirements
for faster growth and penetration of internet and convergence of services
¨ Integrated view of the development of Telecommunications, IT and Information & Broadcasting Sectors
The Tenth Plan Approach
Paper of the Planning Commission calls for an economic growth target of 8% during the Plan Period, with emphasis on
second generation reforms, reduction in subsidies and hard economic decisions
to raise resources for increased investment and prune non-plan expenditure. The
Approach Paper reiterates faster growth
is necessary in order to maintain India’s position in the World Economy and
build upon, in the context of the changing global circumstances and growing
aspirations of the People.
1.5 This report examines the scenario of development of
technologies and services, and their convergence in Telecommunications Sector,
Information Technology Sector and Information & Broadcasting Sector, the
on-going efforts on promoting e-governance at various levels of Government for
delivery of services to the citizens,
proposed regulatory measures on
convergence technologies and services,
the Central Government’s “Informatics-led
development programme” and “development with-in” policy to overcome
“digital divide” and
establish e-government (strategic decision taken in the year 1975), the
role of National Informatics Centre (NIC) as an “active catalyst and facilitator” and various state governments in
the on-going process of e-government
and e-governance (i.e. digital
governance or IT-governance) at national, state, and district levels of
government, and finally the infrastructure
requirements for faster growth and penetration of Internet and convergence
of services to strengthen the ongoing efforts as well as new services for establishing e-governance in the
country, to usher in sustainable development and growth.
Technology
Trend - High Speed, Broadcast, Digital
Electronic Highways and OpenGIS
2.0 Information Technology (IT) is a multidisciplinary field
emerging from computer technology,
software technology, database technology, and Internet Technology. Information Technology and
Communication Technology, now popularly referred to as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), embody Satellite broadcasting networks, Television,
Video, Digital radio, Internet (e-mail, e-commerce, e-conferencing, etc.),
Extranets, Wireless Communication Devices (mobile phone), Digital video disks
(DVDs), CD-ROMS, and Video/Voice mail. Fax revolution
was produced by a convergence of telecommunication technology, optical
scanning, and printing technology.
2.1 People, Procedures, and Technology have become a
multi-threaded operating system to take advantage of desktop revolution, open systems, network systems, database
technology, parallel computing, and web technology based services (i.e.
business-to-business (B2B), business-to-customer (B2C), customer-to-customer
(C2C), government-to-government (G2G), government-to-citizen (G2C),
government-to-business (G2B), citizen-to-government (C2G)), Customer Relation
Management (CRM), Supply-Chain
Management (SCM) and Corporate Knowledge Engineering. Information
Technology, in its convergent form, is recognised as the vehicle for social, economic, and cultural transformation of
society. It is a fact that optimal utilisation of resources becomes difficult,
unless all resources are converged. Convergence of technologies and services normally
results in new capability products
and services, at affordable costs to
the common public. This will result in
rapid establishment of virtual corporate and industrial structures (electronic
markets, virtual value chain, and virtual communities).
2.2 The OpenGISÒ Model[3]
of the Open GIS Consortium Technical Committee [OpenGIS] envisages to synchronize geo-processing technology with the emerging
Information Technology standards, based on open systems, distributed
processing, and componentware frameworks, and to facilitate interoperability
through "common specification"
over Internet/Intranet. The "Pluggable Computing Model" provides a
conceptual framework ("reference model") that positions the OpenGIS
Specification in the broad context of Information Technology. The Pluggable
Tool Services include GIS Tools, Imaging Tools, Expert Tools, and RDBMS Tools. Each Tool has algorithms,
data, and interfaces to services in the distributed computing environment.
Information Technology (IT) is not just an
efficiency tool, but is a catalyst
bringing about fundamental changes in the way business is done and hence calls
for the identification and selection of appropriate
strategies for making the best use of opportunities triggered off by IT
implementation[4].
2.3 As we entered into the 21st century, the realm of
electronic communication, which encompasses telecommunication, broadcasting,
information technology, and services
and industries, is undergoing profound changes, leading to a Global Information Infrastructure (GII), which
will be capable of carrying any type of information, be it text, data,
voice or video.. Information is now
broadly defined to embrace voice in telephony, text in fax and
newspapers, images in video and TV broadcasting, and data in
computers. All information can be digitised, transported, stored,
retrieved, modified, and then distributed. All of these are getting
transportable over a common infrastructure – high-speed, broadcast,
digital electronic highways.
Emerging digital techniques, new network alternatives (Intelligent
Networks), high bandwidth communication technology, and state-of-the-art
software for network functions and services, are the new technology trends
evident in the development of electronic communication systems. The enormous
impact of the technological realities (as given by the Moore’s Law, Metcalfe’s
Law & Guilder’s Law) on
convergence and its resultant’s impact on the economy, are observable.
2.4 Technological changes, convergence, and deregulation taking place
throughout the World, have brought
about rapid growth in each of these industry sectors, together with many
challenging issues to address. Changes in markets have led to the convergence of ownership and
services across national boundaries and have created gaps and contradictions in
national policy. Driven
largely by technological developments, which can be a boon or bane, for
developing countries, the converging communication environment has profound
policy implications. IT-Vision-2020 foresees the eventual emergence of an
Information Society in India based on the Convergence of Telecommunication,
Broadcasting, and Computers. Convergence is not an issue in the
backbone, but in the edge (last-mile problem).
Emerging Digital Economy - Global Free Trade Zone on Internet
3.0 Development economy has witnessed industrial revolution,
agricultural revolutions (green–foodgrain,
white-milk, yellow-edible oil, blue-fish,
and now rainbow), information
technology revolution, and bio-technology revolution. Information Technology
and Bio-Technology have now become the “drivers”
of globalisation of the economy, with their complementarities of
liberalisation, privatisation and tighter intellectual property rights[5].
Developments in Information Technology (IT) are bringing about a second
industrial revolution, but the drivers
are information, data, computers, and connectivity,
and not iron & coal, as it used to be earlier. A global economic
transformation is now intensifying and leading to a rapid economic growth.
Unlike most developing countries, India is expected to gain from the “emerging digital economy”, as it has :
·
affordable access to core information
resources, cutting edge technology and to sophisticated telecommunication
systems and infrastructure;
·
the capacity to build, operate, manage,
and service the technologies involved;
·
policies that promote equitable
public participation in the information society as both producers and consumers
of information and knowledge; and
·
a work force trained to develop, maintain
and provide the value-added products and services required by the information
economy.
3.1 Countries with higher per-capita GDPs (i.e. higher level of infrastructure development) have
different priorities than those countries struggling to provide basic services
with limited resources. Singapore and
Hong Kong are well positioned to implement the state-of-the-art
technologies. South Korea and Taiwan
attempt to build their industrial strength to become manufacturing bases
for new technologies. Countries like
Indonesia, China and India are trying to increase the provision of basic
services, while at the same time providing their citizens with more advanced
tools for economic progress[6].
Hong Kong has also launched various
initiatives to encourage the growth of high technology business, including the Cyberport project and the Digital-21 strategic plan. Hong Kong’s
GEM (Growth Enterprise Market) Policy
provides a source of funding for early
stage technology businesses and makes it easier for them to attract
venture capital.
3.2 The Unites States has been the main
location for dynamic improvement in the computer and communications industries.
Reports confirm that in the western economies, especially in U.S.A., convergence technology had moved fast, but they have failed in the
service delivery area. E-commerce is changing the business world. The US
“hands-off” policy on electronic commerce (1997)
recommends that the nations of the World refrain from all types of regulation
of commerce conducted over the Internet (a
global free trade zone on the Internet), which is likely to facilitate
an immediate and enduring advantage for the United States[7].
Various international and regional organisations such as APEC, WTO, OECD, G-8 Nations, ITU, EU, UN,
World Bank, WIPO, ISO etc., have attached much importance on the
emergence of the potential for international electronic commerce over the
Internet.
Impact of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) diffusion on Economic Growth
4.0 The diffusion of ICT throughout all
industries is far more important
than the production of ICT industries per se. Convergence of Computing and
Telecommunications was perceived as one of the most important trends in ICT. At
the beginning of the 1990s, Computer Networks were widely used,
and increasingly contributed to the
globalisation of economic activities. Computer Networks in convergence with
Telecommunications, commonly referred to as Information Infrastructures, are now viewed as fundamental and
critical bases for future economic and social development. Various study
results strongly support that the “payoff”
effect of ICT on economic growth can be achieved only through a robust National Information Infrastructure (NII)
that supports ICT adoption and application. ICT diffusion derives economic
force from the complementary development of a knowledge-intensive society[8].
4.1 Regional initiatives of the Governments and the private sector
to adopt standards, develop interconnection and accounting systems and to
deploy infrastructures, due to liberalisation policies, have seen the growth of satellite systems
and regional WANs (Wide Area Networks) in India. National Task Force on
Information Technology and Software Development (1998) of the Central
Government has suggested a plan of action to make India an IT super power in the World.
Emergence of IT on the National Agenda[9]
and announcement of IT Policies by
about 19 State Governments (e.g. Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat,
Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, etc.) have
strengthened India’s position in the software-driven IT sector in the World.
These IT Policies, more or less, envision
: Re-engineering administrative processes, IT Budget, IT-initiative Fund,
Statewide Area Network, Smart Cards, Departmentwise specific MIS, IT Literacy, and Promotion of IT Industry. Many State Governments have introduced
“computer education” as a compulsory
subject in schools and established Indian Institutes of Information Technology
(IIITs), IT Parks, Hardware Parks, and
Software Technology Parks to promote the growth of IT education, services,
& industry in India. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian
Institute of Science (IISc), and various Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs)
also impart computer science & engineering education, matching
international standards. The efforts of the All India Council of Technical
Education (AICTE) in focussing quality IT education through various
self-finance colleges are noteworthy.
4.2 Information Technology investment in developing countries,
like India, was negligible up to
1990s. The productivity gains lag (not kept pace with) vis-à-vis IT investments
and the primary reason for this lag is
that the learning needed to use the new technology did not develop with the
same tempo. However, the scenario is now fast changing, broadly due to :
·
Introduction
of computer education in schools,
·
Growth
of computer educational institutions in higher centres of learning,
·
Use
of computers and networks in governments, public sector, private sector, &
cooperative sector, and
·
Favourable
government policies.
4.3 Similarly, Information Technology investment in Government
Sector has been negligible up to 1990s. The Vittal Committee (1997) constituted
by the Department of Administrative
Reforms recommended 2-3% of the budget outlay for Information Technology
applications in Government Departments. The National Conference on Informatics
for Sustainable Agricultural Development (ISDA) (1995) recommended 3-6% for IT
Applications in the Agricultural sector. In the present “crucial decade” of
this millenium, a high rate of investment in Information Technology capital and
a supportive environment are expected to achieve “digital economy”. Its rapid
growth, however, depends on[10]
:-
·
A
higher rate of productivity growth related to investment in Information
Technology;
·
A
rise in Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth due to Information Utilisation
across the economy and resulting “spill-over” effects;
·
An
increase in factor utilisation; and
· A decline in the non-accelerating inflation rate and rate of unemployment.
4.4 Public Investment for
creation of basic informatics infrastructure with universal access and consequent
creation of employment, has been recommended to be realised by allowing every
Central Sector Scheme projects and Centrally Sponsored Scheme projects, to utilise up to 2-3% of their annual
budget outlay[11] for
Information Technology applications for ushering in e-governance as well as
increasing productivity. As compared with the costs faced in building a variety
of other infrastructures, the information infrastructure is a remarkably
inexpensive way to enhance the productivity of India's economy[12].
A National Information Infrastructure (NII) is evolving as a “network of networks” including such
nationwide networks as NICNET, ERNET, HVNet & I-Net, in addition to an
extensive Fibre Optic Telecommunication Backbone being set up by Department of Telecommunication (DOT), Railways, and the Private Sector[13].
From an economic perspective, the "National
Information Infrastructure" has the characteristics of a “public good”. The technological convergence of Information Technology,
Telecommunication and Entertainment Electronics have opened up new vistas in
the life of the Common Public. In
order to empower the Common Public,
the Government of India (MIT, 2000)[14]
envisioned: -
*
Internet
based Information facilitation for “the Common Public” by various Government
Agencies at all levels to be made available by 2005 (IT enabled services);
*
Establishment
of about 100 Million Internet Connections and one Million Information Kiosks (
i.e. 1-2 connection per village) by 2008 with the participation of private
sector and Un-organised Sector (self-employed);
*
Promotion
of development of Indian Languages Content over Internet;
*
Re-engineering
of the Government processes leading to
“electronic governance”; and
*
Launching
of “Mass Compaign on IT Awareness
(IT-Yatras)”
Impact of IT would be predominant in the social sectors like health, education,
judiciary and rural development. Investment in Knowledge based industries is
expected to determine India’s dominance in this millenium[15].
Economic Analysts suggest that India
should attract investments and convergence
can come later, and point out that China is not talking about convergence
but paying stress on
infrastructure by moving in a planned manner. There has been a considered
view that the forecast of 2005,
in terms of infrastructure development, will
be difficult, as there is no planning and no money.
Converging and Embedding –
Information Technology, Telecommunication, Broadcasting and Entertainment
5.0 Convergence takes
place through wired and wireless
media, and “topple down” old business models and value chains. It occurs
either through competitive substitution or through the complementary merging of
products or services or both at once"[16].
Information, Communications and Entertainment ("ICE") represents the
converging industries of communications, media, software and the Internet,
electronics and travel, leisure and tourism. (KPMG,1996) defines that
convergence entails the coming together of content, infrastructures, the
storage and processing capabilities of computers, and consumer electronics[17].
Convergent technologies, which blend multiple streams
of information into a single presentation on a single device, are central to the future growth of IT
industry.
5.1 Digital networks redefine what kinds of infrastructure are possible under the
sweeping trend of convergence and highlight
the need for privatisation and regulatory changes commensurate with such
developments. Convergence of
technologies takes place at the
transmission level, the terminal level and the service level. IT convergence began with the digitization of switching and
transmission and the utilisation of Intelligent Network (IN) platforms. The Hypothesis : “diversity
of applications and services increases whenever core technologies converge”
holds good. This convergence entered homes and business with the extensive use
of the Internet. This technology convergence will release customers from the
barriers imposed by proprietary solutions, allowing organisations to develop
integrated voice and data applications. Falling costs of equipment led to further integration between telephony
and the computers, resulting in call
centres. Market analysts expect a dominance of complementary convergence (1+1 = 3) over competitive aspects.
5.2 Convergence describes a
process change in industry structures (Computer Industry,
Information/Content Industry, & Communication Industry) that combines markets through technological
and economic dimensions to meet merging consumer needs. This process change
takes place, inter and intra
industry, in the following structure :
·
Computer
Industry
·
Computers
·
Software
·
Interfaces
·
Information/Content
Industry
·
Databases
·
Information
Services
·
Audio-Visuals
products
·
Films
·
Music
·
Photos
·
Communication
Industry
·
PSTN
·
Cable
Networks
·
Broadcasting
·
Mobile
networks
5.3 It is also important to examine individual cases of
convergence of emerging services and technologies (i.e. Internet Telephony –
Voice over Internet Protocol in 1995 : PC-to-PC, phone-to-PC or PC-to-phone, phone-to-phone) to understand the
possible future structures of the communications industry. Three aspects
- which are interdependent but separate - are usually considered[18]
:
·
Technological
innovations which enable the convergence of different appliances and their
functions
·
Cooperation
among companies from different sectors or expansion of companies into hitherto
unrelated industries
·
Changes
in consumer behaviour, specially, the adoption of interactive television usage patterns
which are similar to internet-surfing.
5.4 VSATs (Very Small Aperture Terminals or Via Satellite Terminals)
have emerged as the preferred means of wide area networking for financial
institutions, utilities and services sector, as the VSAT has the ability to
integrate data, voice, fax and also voice across remote locations. There are different VSAT technologies namely
SCPC, DAMA, TDM/TDMA, and FTDMA. Adding
a new location takes less than a week , and enhancing services is
limited to adding or modifying software at Headquarters (Hub Control
Station) only. VSATs offer high network
reliability (99.5 %), remote accessibility at lower costs, transmission costs
independent of distances, and centralised network control, independent of a
public carrier. VSATs offer more flexibility in network expansion and redesign
whereas the terrestrial network requires re-engineering, which is process that
can take months and involve scores of vendors.
5.5 Studies show that a large populace of TV users who would embrace the Internet, video-on-demand, and greater interaction with content, but who are diffident about buying and using a Personal Computer (PC). This trend has forced both the Computer and the Television Industries to embark on bringing a digital TV and the Internet to a large market. Maximum convergence is occurring in the area of access network (telecommunication including data communication) or local delivery services (broadcasting). This is because technological developments now permit the network used for carrying broadcasting signals to the customer premises, namely the cable TV network, to be used for purposes of carrying telecommunication and data (including Internet) signals also. Likewise, the telephony access network i.e., the network connecting subscriber to the telephone exchange, can be used for carrying broadcasting signals. In a similar manner, the webcasting function utilised for Internet data transfer though a telecommunication service uses the broadcast mode.
Internet - The Driving Force for Convergence
6.0 Internet is and will be the most promising medium and the
convergence of services and terminals will be centered on the Internet. The
Internet does not follow the
Amdahl’s Constant[19]. The rapid growth of Internet happened not
only because of the sheer brilliance of the core technologies behind it, but due to the following three core factors:
(a)
Core innovation in Information Technology
(Moore’s Law effect – chip capacity would double every 18 months while its
price fell to half, Gilder’s Law – total bandwidth of telecommunication would
triple every 12 months, and Metcalfe’s Law – network effect will be square of
the number of computers in the network) – led to dramatic development; of new
applications;
(b)
Open standards – led to convergence
(c)
De-regulation of telecommunication
markets – led to falling prices stimulated
by de-regulation.
6.1 The single biggest area of "convergence and embedding for the Internet" will be the integration with the broadcast
market. Since both the Internet and Broadcasting are digital, broadcasting is the bridging technology that converge
broadcasting and the Internet into a single, seamless digital medium. Hanada
(1990)[20]
discusses the convergence of broadcasting and telecommunications in Japan and
presents a conceptual framework to understand the functions of broadcasting,
telecommunications and information services (Figure-1). Data Broadcast – trend towards speed and disintermediation
– has created several exciting phenomena :
*
The
Era of IP anywhere (strategic inflection point – 10 X factor)
*
The
Economy of speed
*
The
Media becoming the Market
*
The
New Battle for the Eyeballs (Portal Wars)
6.2 IPv6 (128-bit address)
will facilitate convergence of technologies i.e., an Era of IP anywhere. Software radio is emerging as the pragmatic
solution for future mobile systems,
holding the key to total convergence.
Data broadcast applications (Intranets, Extranets, Focussed Affinity
Networks (FANs) – CUGs, and Branded Business Channels) will have impact on
productivity and economic growth. Emerging applications (killer applications)
will be :
·
Unified messaging
·
Collaborative data sharing (e-commerce and datawarehousing)
·
Video streaming and conferencing
·
Unified
Internet multimedia service
·
Internet
service using satellites
·
Ultra
High speed internet service
·
Expertise
content service
over a single corporate network, often run on
Internet Protocol.
"The Last Mile" - Broadband connections covering
the last segment of the data pipeline
7.0 Bridging "the last mile" involves technology, economics and geography.
The Home Network of the Future will ultimately serve a multitude of appliances
with a voracious appetite for content, for which the obvious answer is
“broadband connections covering the last segment of the data pipeline, known as “the last mile”. The available
technologies for transmission are Wireless
Technology and Dial-Up Connection. One of the major problems with the Wireless
Technology is how to deal
with the high rate of packet loss.
Millions of dial-up users are tired of
sluggish connections and hence the market is there for broadband – in one
form or another. The
emphasis on full Internet Protocol (IP) interoperability has been important, as
the backlash has already begun against the lighter-weight Wireless Applications
Protocol (WAP).
7.1 The National Task Force on Information
Technology & Software Development (1998) recommended the “last mile” linkage either by “fibre optics” or by “radio communication” for IT Applications Services Providers (ASPs), Internet
Services Providers (ISPs), and IT Promotional Organisations, with the aim to “boost efficiency
and enhance market integration”, through
Internet/Intranet, for sustainable
regional development. The logical
way to network ever increasing no of housholds is to use the already existing
telephone lines, television cables, the electric power lines and the Globally
available 2.4 Ghz wireless ISM Band. Using existing telephone wires,
Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) offer speeds upto 8MBPS or more, depending upon
the protocol and the distance. Symmetric
DSL and Asymmetric DSL are the leading contenders. The CableTV line
provides asymmetric bandwidth 2MBPS uplink and 50MBPS downlink on a single TV
channel of 6MHz. The U.S. based Media Fusion’s Power Line Technology – Advanced
Sub Carrier ModulationTM- expects to deliver the signal - at speeds of upto 2.5 gigabits per second
(GBPS). With the implementation of IPv6 (IP anywhere), the Bluetooth Technology (2.4GHz ISM Band) may be the mostly used
technology of the current decade – to the SOHO ( Small Office Home Office )
segment.
Regulatory Measures - The Communication Convergence Bill 2000
8.0 Innovative services and technologies are challenging the
existing demarcation of business markets, services, providers, users and
government regulations in the Communication Industry. Content providers will
only be willing to make contents available if
their IPRs are sufficiently protected. Insufficient protection is already a
barrier for off-line electronic content, and this could be projected into the
on-line world. The perceived road blocks
are as follows:
(a)
Cable
networks, Internet providers, Phone and Cellular companies are not allowed to
connect each other – essential for convergence to occur.
(b)
Broadband networks, high speed systems for
transmitting video, cable, telephone calls, music or any form of communication
that can be digitised – do not exist
(c)
If
cable companies and ISPs are allowed to start all new digital services, what
happens to the Rs.7000 Crores of
licence fees paid by private telephone companies. ?
(d)
A
host of convergence plans, like Direct-To-Home (DTH) television and Internet
delivery to remote areas, presently need the so-called KU satellite band which
eliminates the need to lay wires.
8.1 The laws governing both telecommunication and broadcasting
were, until 1997, the Indian Telegraph ACT (1885) and the Wireless Telegraph
Act (1933), which gave exclusive privilege to the State to establish telegraph
and broadcasting services. The earlier acts like Indian Telegraph Act, 1885,
the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, Telegraph Wire Unlawful Possession
Act, 1950, the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, have become antiquated in its
provisions. Telecom Regulation Authority of India (TRAI) has finally realized the importance of VSAT
(Very Small Aperture Terminal
or Via Satellite Terminal) as
an infrastructure tool and its major recommendations are :
·
Free
competition
·
Decrease
in license fee
·
Removing
the 64 KBPS barrier, and
·
Interconnection
(CUG) to share the resources.
The National Task Force on
Information Technology and Software Development (1998) recommends telecom networks be allowed to connect to each
other, as network interconnectivity is the key to the digital revolution.
Although broadcasting’s special role cannot be ignored in a democratic society,
government should not create boundaries between industries when digital
technology is bringing about convergence. Since it is difficult to predict the
effect of digital innovation on broadcasting, policy should let the market be the prime arbiter of the development
of digital innovation[21].
8.2 The Government of India is all set to bring about
revolutionary changes in the regulatory and legislative environment in the Information, Communication and Entertainment
(ICE) sectors, in order to facilitate a smooth convergence of these
sectors. Recommendations of the Final Draft Report of the Sub-Group on Convergence (Fali S. Nariman, Convenor) are as
follows:-
·
All
antiquated acts including Indian Telegraph Act 1885 must go
·
One
regulatory framework for information content and carriage
·
Single,
independent, autonomous commission for licensing and regulation ( Communication
Commission of India)
·
Facilitate
the development of national infrastructure for information-based society; and
·
Calls
for a closer cooperation between the regulator and the industry and seeks to
remove any restrictions on using any technology for providing quality services
to consumer.
8.3 The Communication Convergence Bill 2000 (CCB-2000) of the
Indian Central Government envisages to
establish a unified regulatory regime to address the growing technological
convergence of telecommunications, datacommunications, internet, satellite and
terrestrial broadcasting, cable television, audio broadcasting, and software
and content creation. The CCB-2000
defines that “convergence” commonly refers to the provision of different
kind of services over the existing infrastructure and the enhancement of
existing technologies so as to provide a wide variety of new services viz.
Web-casting, Internet Telephony, etc.
The CCB-2000 envisages four
different service providers namely :
·
Network
Infrastructure Facility Provider (NIFP)
·
Network
Service Provider (NSP)
·
Application
Service Provider
·
Content
ASP
The CCB-2000 facilitates
that in the era of convergence, an ASP/Content ASP can utilize the services of
any NSP for carrying their application/content.
8.4 The CCB-2000 proposes the setting up of a single unified
regulator, Communications Commission of
India (CCI), a super regulator governing the Information, Communication and
Entertainment sector. The CCI will subsume the Telecom Regulatory Authority of
India (TRAI), the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal and the
earlier proposed Broadcasting Authority of India. The super regulator will
carry out the functions of granting licenses, assigning and managing spectrum,
regulating content and right of way, resolve disputes, as well as determine the
conditions for fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory access to network
facilities. Overall, it will be vested with the powers for the handling of
these sectors in a holistic manner. The companies in this sector therefore can
look forward to a world-class regulatory regime.
From Convergence to Divergence
9.0 The Communication Convergence (Draft) Bill 2000 and
Information Technology Act (2000) of the Central Government clearly show the
direction in which the Country is moving towards, to facilitate a single
communication network catering to all types of technologies (i.e. Internet,
Datacom, Telecom, Wireless, Wireline, Fixed, Mobile, Cellular, Satellite
Communication, etc.), and e-Commerce. The proposed legislation is comprehensive
in nature and chalks out a framework to deal with all aspects concerning convergence of technologies. The
legislation will go a long way in leveraging India's much vaunted strength in
the IT sector towards using it to promote growth and income. In the welter of theories and predictions,
market analysts view that convergence
will lead to co-evolution. The PC and TV will not come together to form a single whole : their
paths would merely cross (“divergence”).
In the process, not only will the two change but may even give birth to new
creations. History has taught "when
new forms of communication emerge, older
forms do not die"[22]
(e.g. AM versus FM radio, Print Media versus TV). Expansion in the means of
delivery brought on by improvements in technology and by convergence may shift the bottleneck from delivery
to content, and may lead to a shortage of adequate content in the medium term[23]. Where market players control the access to
the Customers, the company concerned may be able to discriminate in favour of
its own services. It is also expected that the parallel expansion broadcasting,
mobile multimedia and voice applications, and the use of wireless technologies
within fixed networks will lead to a significant growth in demand.
Measures for promotion of
e-governance at various levels of Government to achieve transparency,
accountability and good governance in Public Administration
Public Administration
10.0 Public Administration is concerned with the activities of the
three branches of Government namely, Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, at
national level, state level and Grass-root levels (district/sub-district
levels) in the Country. Good Governance
means providing opportunities and proper delivery of goods and services to the
people in a fair, just, effective, responsible and open way. Transparency
means openness in the laws, rules and procedures, and the decision-making
processes of government and its public institutions. The concept of
Accountability means government and its institutions must be duty bound to
honestly account to the public and the media, in relation to their performance
in carrying out their responsibilities.
10.1 Information is a vital resource and has its applications in
rural, agricultural, social, and industrial development. The extent of the use
and application of scientific, technical and social information to advance
development determines the progress of a nation. Information Technology and
Communication Technology (ICT) – Informatics
Networks - are increasingly considered as development tools. Traditionally,
the Government is the “major generator” of socio-economic information in India,
for their own use as well as for public use.
Information collection process in the government departments is a decentralized activity between the
Central and various State Governments, as laid down in the Constitution.
Transfer of information is considered as a basic requisite for determining the
future activities of economic and social development of a country.
10.2 Harnessing the information revolution for economic development,
social cohesion and poverty alleviation in the 21st century is the theme for
various National and International Conferences. Informatics Networks play an important role in the information
flow, at a lightning speed, from the implementation level to the
development planners at macro
(national), macro-meso (region
covering more than one state), meso
(state) and micro (district, block
and village) levels. Instantaneous global
communication, transactions, feedback, and follow-ups, have thrown up enormous
opportunities and challenges for :
¨
learning and counter-learning,
¨
moves and counter moves,
¨
mobilisation and counter-mobilisation, and
¨
opinion making and breaking.
Distributed databases are the converging
point of networking the database technologies to bring “power to the People” for planning and
bringing in responsive administration in developing countries. Fusion of Information Technology, Bio-Technology, GIS
Technology, and Remote Sensing Technology bring the required Science
and Technology inputs for regional
rural development in the country.
Informatics-led Development Programme – A step
towards to overcome “digital divide”
11.0 In 1975, the Government of India strategically decided to take
effective steps for development of
information systems and utilization of information resources, and also to introduce computer-based
decision support system in government ministries and departments to facilitate
planning and programme implementation to further the growth of economic
development and social development. The Central Government was of the view that "development within the government administration" can be used
as a “lever for technical development in
society” (i.e. Informatics-led Development) as a whole. As a result of
this, the Central Government nucleated
a high priority plan project "National
Informatics Centre (NIC)" under the Electronics Commission /
Department of Electronics, in 1976, with the assistance of the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP). This strategic decision to overcome “Digital Divide” in Central Government
Departments and Ministries, taken
during the Fifth Plan Period (i.e. 1972-77),
resulted in launching of the Central Government Informatics Development
Programme in various Departments and Ministries through National Informatics
Centre (NIC). In view of its relevance for all round socio-economic growth
(i.e. employment generation and hence poverty reduction), and also to get
benefit of the emerging digital economy, the Central Government has created a
new Ministry of Information Technology
(MIT) by merging the DOE, National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Electronics
and Software Export Promotion Council
in 1999.
Emergence of the National Informatics Centre
12.0 The National Informatics Centre (NIC) is the nodal S&T organization in the
Ministry of Information Technology (MIT), for informatics development and
networking in government, corporate and cooperative sectors for decision
support. NIC
has been instrumental in steering Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) applications in Government Departments at Central, State and
Districts, facilitating improvement
in government services, wider transparency in government functions, and improvement
in decentralised planning and management.
To facilitate this, NIC has established a nationwide ICT Network -
NICNET - with gateway nodes at about 55 Central Government Departments, 35
State/UT Secretariats, and 550 District Collectorates, for IT services. In view
of its cost effectiveness, NIC had taken a leading step in establishing “Hub based Wireless Data Network” in
many state capitals (Agarthala, Bangalore, Bhuvaneshwar, Calcutta, Chandigarh,
Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Shillong) in 1997-99 to
facilitate high-speed access, ranging from 64 Kbps to 2 Mbps through NICNET.
12.1 NIC has played an important role of an “active” catalyst and “facilitator”
in informatics development programme in Governments at the national, state and
district levels, during the last 25 years, and has "reached out into India" during 1985-90, even before the arrival of “Internet”
Technology, to 550 districts of the Country, which is a land of diversity
with different types of terrain,
various Agro-climatic conditions, different levels of socio-economic
conditions, and varied levels of regional development, etc. To customize
applications for facilitating decision
support in development and responsive administration (earlier version of
e-governance), NIC had established its Project Centres at NICNET Nodes.
12.2 NICNET links extends to Andaman Islands, Lakshdweep &
Minicoy Islands, and Ladakh Region. The NIC provides the state-of-the-art
IT solutions to information management,
information dissemination, and decision support requirements of the Central as
well as State Governments, the Corporate
Sector and the Cooperative Sector. The NIC implements Information
Technology Projects, in collaboration with the Central and State Governments in
the areas of (a) Centrally sponsored
schemes and Central sector schemes, (b) State sector and State sponsored
projects, (c) District Administration sponsored projects. NIC has been
instrumental in adopting Information
Technology and Communication Technology “to reach out into India”
(i.e. by implementing IT applications in Social & Public administrations),
which are discernible from the following developments:
(a)
Central
Government Informatics Development programme A strategic decision to overcome “Digital Divide” in Central Government
Departments and Ministries during the
Fifth Plan Period (i.e. 1972-77);
(b)
NICNET
gateway for Internet/Intranet Access and Resources Sharing in Central
Government Ministries and Departments in 1980s and 1990s;
(c)
IT
in Social Applications and Public Administrations;
(d)
State
Government Informatics Development Programme - A strategic decision to overcome
“Digital Divide” in Central and
State Governments during the Seventh Plan Period (i.e. 1985-1990);
(e)
NICNET
- A first of its kind among the developing countries, using the state-of-
the-art Ku-band VSAT technology- facilitates (i) decentralised planning, (ii)
improvement in government services, (iii) wider transparency of national and
local governments and improving their accountability to the people;
(f)
DISNIC
– A NICNET Based District Government Informatics Programme : A strategic
decision in 1985 to overcome “Digital
Divide” in 540 District Administrations;
E-governance - Knowledge Networking for better governance
13.0 Digital Governance is a popular term to focus on the new,
evolving forms of governance - Electronic
Governance. Good Governance rests on the pillars of knowledge and
recognition of this set of knowledge by the decision-makers. Digitisation of
this entire set of knowledge within a network which links every individual
including the decision-makers and gives democratic freedom to everyone to
access and make use of this knowledge paves the way for Digital Governance. The
widening use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is leading to distributed Knowledge and Power structures. It is changing the
political scenes as it is reshaping democracy and the way citizens interact
with the Government. With the emergence of pro-active Knowledge Societies,
Governments will have no choice but to constantly improvise to bring in greater
efficiency, accountability and transparency in their functioning. E-governance[24]
is part of the Government's policy for social inclusion, part of its strategy
is to enhance information technology and
to help enhance people's lives, and this is carried out through the use of:
·
Email
·
Web
publishing
·
Intranet
Development
·
Promoting
citizen access
E-governance is the
effective use of Information Technology to improve the system of governance
that is in place and thus provide better services to the community.
13.1 E-governance is beyond the
scope of e-government. While e-government is defined as a mere delivery of
government services and information to the public using electronic means,
e-governance allows direct participation of constituents in government
activities. E-governance is not just
about government web site and e-mail. It is not just about service delivery
over the Internet. It is not just about digital access to government
information or electronic payments. It
will change how citizens relate to governments as much as it changes how
citizens relate to each other. It
will bring forth new concepts of citizenship, both in terms of needs and
responsibilities[25].
13.2 E-governance will truly allow citizens to participate in the
government decision-making process, reflect their true needs and welfare by
utilizing e-government as a tool. Introduction of e-governance is a key to make information technology (IT) relevant to ordinary
citizens in India where a large numbers of population are
poor and a digital divide is a significant problem. E-governance will allow
ordinary people to constantly interface with the government in both local and
central level on various matters. E-governance must be a high priority for India, as it is the only means of taking IT to
the masses. Additionally, this is a smart and economical process of building
the Indian domestic software market. The e-governance market is expected to
earn $6 billion in 2007-08. In 2000-01 alone, the government expenditure on IT
is expected at about $556 million[26].
13.3 The challenges in
processing, transmitting, and storing information in a manner which protects
its authenticity, integrity and confidentiality have been well publicized and
have become part of the public debate on the future of communications in
general. The Government must meet these challenges while supporting the goal of
modernizing government business processes by conducting these processes
electronically. Accomplishing these objectives requires the proper and timely
use of security services so that businesses and the public operate in a trusted
environment. One element has now emerged as the foundation for secure distributed
applications, including supply chain management, secure messaging, e-commerce
and intranet applications - that element is Public Key Infrastructure(PKI). PKI,
which envisages the use of Digital
Certificates, is the key to ensuring authenticated private and non
repudiable communications & transactions over un-trusted networks.
Major Initiatives in e-governance and their implementation
13.4 Developments in electronic governance (e-governance) provide
opportunities to harness the power of Information Technology (IT) to make the
business of governance inexpensive, qualitatively responsive, and truly
encompassing. Research studies in the 1990s confirm that “while the full economic impact of Information Technology
cannot be precisely evaluated, its impact has been significant”[27],
and also establish the fact that a
complementarity relationship exists between Information Technology and Productivity (i.e. good
communication system and information system reinforces commitments to
productivity). Davenport (1997)[28]
recommends an ecological approach to
master information and knowledge environment, as technology alone is not enough
for success in information age and depends on information ecology which is the entire information environment of the
firm including culture, behaviour and work process, politics, and the
technology that is in place. "Trickle-down"
and "Trickle-up" processes facilitate development of IT
applications for productivity improvement in government.
13.5 As a major step in bringing in e-governance, NIC implements the following "minimum agenda" of
E-Governance, as announced by the Central Government :
:
·
Internet/Intranet
Infrastructure (PCs, Office
Productivity Tools, Portals/Vortals on
Business of Allocation and Office Procedures) up-to Section Officers level
·
IT Empowerment of Officers
/officials (Training)
·
IT enabled Services
·
G2G - Government -to-Government Portal
·
G2B - Government-to-Business Portal
·
G2C - Government-to-Citizen Portal : Community Information Centre,
AGMARKNET Nodes, Passports, Courts, Central Excise & Customs, Land Records,
Property Registration, etc.
·
IT Plans for Sectoral Development
·
Business Process Re-engineering
·
Video-Conferencing
·
Replication of ICT Application : G2C operational at District : Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab),
Collectorate-2000, ZillaParishad-2001, STAR/CARD/PRISM/PEARL, Ruralsoft, in other States
·
"India-Image" Portal : A G2C
Portal to be a state-of-the-art-portal of the Country
·
G2G
Portal, G2B Portal and G2C Portal in
Central Government Departments and its Apex Organisations with respect to (to begin with):
¨ Central Excise and Customs
¨ Registrar of Companies
¨ Courts - Supreme Courts,
High Courts and District Courts
¨ Passports
¨ Road Transport
¨ Banks and Financial
Institutions
¨ Agriculture
¨ Water Resources
¨ Women and Child Development
¨ Health and Family Welfare
¨ Rural Development
¨ Higher Educational
Institutions
¨ Energy
¨ Industry and Commerce
¨ Parliament
·
Development
of an "Informatics Model" based "business process re-engineering methodology" and the features of the
Information Technology Act 2000, to get maximum ROI (Return On
Investment) as well as increase in
productivity and delivery of
services in government (i.e. Design and development of an "IT Governance" Model in
Government) in the Central Government, State Government and District
Administrations.
·
Expansion
of NICNET to cover all developmental blocks (~6500 in Nos.) to facilitate G2C
access through CIC, in the country.
13.6 In view of the “propensity” for IT-led development in
Government, the NIC plays its catalytic
role in the area of “informatics for
development”, which include,
¨ Data warehousing (Data Bases
& Model Bases) and Mining
¨ Network services (Internet,
Intranet, & Extranet)
¨ Geographical Information
System (GIS)
¨ Application of Remote
Sensing Data
¨ Multi-media Information
System,
¨ E-Governance & E-Commerce,
¨ Decision Technology System,
and
¨ Sectoral IT Plans
¨ IT Training for Government
Employees – IT empowerment, and
¨ NICNET Video Conferencing,
and
¨ Total-IT solution
13.7 “Warana Wired Village”, which is an Joint-venture project of NIC with the Government of Maharashtra and Warana Vibhag Shikshan Mandal, is a “technology solution” of NIC to overcome “last-mile” and “digital divide” problem at the grass-roots levels in India, and also empowering citizens through “access to information and knowledge”[29]. NICNET based “Community Information Centres (CIC)”[30] in about 420 blocks in the North Eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim) aim to “boost efficiency and enhance market integration” through Internet/Intranet for sustainable regional development. “Prawara Rural Educational Society” project and Rajapur Parliamentary Constituency “Gyanada” Project in the State of Maharashtra, initiated under the “MP Local Area Development” Programme are examples of “Informatics” and “Communication Networks” displaying their role in grass-root level development in the Country.
13.8 In view of its expertise in government informatics, and also to
avoid coordination by a web of agencies
in the Government, it has been suggested that NIC to function as the nodal agency for "e-governance" in the Central Government. Government of India’s strategies on
“development of information systems and utilisation of information resources”
initiated since 1975, have proved the existence of the complementarity relationship between communication system and
information system : the “Communication System and Information System
reinforce commitments to productivity”
holds good[31]. Starting as a small programme under an external stimulus
by an UNDP project in 1975, NIC has grown incrementally
and later exponentially as one of
India’s major programmes, which has helped to usher in the required
transformation to cope with the trends in the new millennium.
Recommendations
14.0 Development economy has witnessed industrial revolution,
agricultural revolutions (green–foodgrain,
white-milk, yellow-edible oil, blue-fish,
and now rainbow), information
technology revolution, and bio-technology revolution. Information Technology
and Bio-Technology have now become the “drivers”
of globalisation of the economy, with their complementarities of
liberalisation, privatisation and tighter intellectual property rights[32].
The Tenth Plan Approach Paper of the Planning Commission calls for an economic
growth target of 8% during the Plan
Period, with emphasis on second generation reforms, reduction in subsidies, and
hard economic decisions to raise resources for increased investment and prune
non-plan expenditure. The Approach Paper reiterates faster growth is
necessary in order to maintain India’s position in the World Economy and build
upon, in the context of the changing global circumstances and growing
aspirations of the People of India.
14.1 This report examined the scenario of development of technologies
and services, and their convergence in Telecommunications Sector, Information
Technology Sector and Information & Broadcasting Sector, the on-going
efforts on promoting e-governance at various levels of Government for delivery
of services to the citizens, proposed
regulatory measures on convergence
technologies and services, the Central
Government’s “Informatics-led
development programme” and “development with-in” policy to overcome
“digital divide” and
establish e-government (strategic decision taken in the year 1975), the
role of National Informatics Centre (NIC) as an “active catalyst and facilitator” and various state governments in
the on-going process of e-government
and e-governance (i.e. digital
governance or IT-governance) at national, state, and district levels of
government, and finally the infrastructure
requirements for faster growth and penetration of Internet and convergence
of services to strengthen the ongoing efforts as well as new services for establishing e-governance in the
country, to usher in sustainable development and growth.
14.2 Convergence describes a
process change in industry structures (Computer Industry,
Information/Content Industry, & Communication Industry) that combines markets through technological
and economic dimensions to meet merging consumer needs. Since both the Internet and Broadcasting are digital,
broadcasting is the bridging technology that converge
broadcasting and the Internet into a single, seamless digital medium. The Internet (i.e. network of networks
based on TCP/IP communication protocol) is the driving force of convergence of
technologies and services industries. Convergence of
technologies will facilitate to network
ever increasing number of households ( i.e. to overcome "The Last Mile problem" - Broadband connections covering the
last segment of the data pipeline) by using the already existing telephone lines, television cables,
and the electric power lines. IPv6 (128-bit address) will
facilitate convergence of technologies i.e., an Era of IP anywhere. Software radio is emerging as the pragmatic
solution for future mobile systems,
holding the key to total convergence. This technological convergence
demystify “Convergence is not an issue in the backbone, but in the edge (last-mile
problem)”.
14.3 The Convergence Communications Bill 2000 envisages four different service providers :
Network Infrastructure Facility Provider (NIFP),
Network Service Provider (NSP),
Application Service Provider (ASP),
and Content ASP. In the era of convergence, an ASP/Content ASP can utilize the
services of any NSP for carrying their application/content. In the present “crucial decade” of this millenium, a
high rate of investment in Information Technology and its related convergent
sectors capital and a supportive environment are expected to achieve “digital economy”. Market analysts
expect a dominance of complementary
convergence (1+1 = 3) over competitive aspects.
14.4 Emergence of Information Technology on the national agenda and
the announcement of IT policies by various State Governments (i.e. Andhra
Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Pondicherry,
Sikkim, and Tamilnadu, etc.) have recognised the “Convergence of core technologies
and E-Governance” as the tool
for sustainable development and globalisation of economy. Fusion of Information Technology, Bio-Technology, GIS Technology,
and Remote Sensing Technology bring the required Science and Technology inputs for regional rural
development in the country. Data broadcast applications (Intranets, Extranets,
Focussed Affinity Networks (FANs) [i.e. Close-User-Groups], and Branded
Business Channels) will have impact on productivity and economic growth. The hypothesis: “diversity of applications
and services increases, whenever core technologies converge” holds good.
14.5 Convergence of Technologies and Services may lead to “divergence” of products and services
and hence higher private investment, as the Government has been engaged in
disinvestment of various Public Sector
Undertakings, of late. The Public Investment on establishing Government
Informatics Network (NICNET) by the Central Government to facilitate “e-Government” for decision support in
various government departments at national, state and district level (550
districts administrations) in 1980s has
induced public investments by various State Governments and also private investments for ICT industries
on a large scale, in India in 1990s. But “Convergence
and E-Governance Sector” is becoming a
niche market wherein both
public investment and private investments are expected in ICT industries, both
hardware and software.
14.6 To take advantage of the convergence of technologies and
services sectors for promotion of “e-governance” (digital governance) and
also “corporate governance”, it is
essential to have a national organization to play as an effective “catalyst” and “facilitator” , who will make available the emerging killer
applications :
·
Unified messaging
·
Collaborative data sharing (e-commerce and datawarehousing)
·
Video streaming and conferencing
·
Unified
Internet multimedia service
·
Internet
service using satellites
·
Ultra
High speed internet service
·
Expertise
content service
over a single
corporate network, often run on Internet Protocol. National Informatics Centre
(NIC) of the Ministry of Information Technology (MIT) has been instrumental (i)
in steering Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) applications in government departments at
Central, State and Districts, (ii) facilitating improvement in
government services, (iii) wider
transparency in government functions, and (iv) improvement in decentralised planning and management. NIC is the only
national S&T organisation
having the infrastructures to function as four different service providers,
envisaged in the Convergence
Communication Bill 2000 :
·
Network
Infrastructure Facility Provider (NIFP)
·
Network
Service Provider (NSP)
·
Application
Service Provider
·
Content
ASP
and also
other capabilities and infrastructures
to implement the emerging killer applications. NIC implements "minimum agenda"
of E-Governance of the Central Government.
In view of its expertise in government informatics, it has been
suggested that NIC to function as the
nodal agency for "e-governance" at various levels of Governments. During
the tenth plan period, it is suggested
that NICNET to have a Metaframe System Server
based on the emerging IP-any-where (thereby solving the “last mile” problem) and OpenGIS
architecture (Figure-2). This requires strengthening the existing
NICNET infrastructure as well as to extend to sub-district levels (~6500
development blocks) for promoting “e-governance” at various levels of
government. Public Investment is required to strengthen NICNET to undertake
this innovative infrastructure during the Tenth Plan Period, which will “crowd-in” private investment in the ICT
industries and services in the converged form. Major recommendations are as
follows:-
(a)
Establishing
a National Information Infrastructure (NII) as a “network of networks” including such nationwide
networks as NICNET, ERNET, HVNet & I-Net, in addition to an extensive Fibre
Optic Telecommunication Backbone being
set up by Department of Telecommunication (DOT), Railways, and the Private Sector[33], as the
"National Information
Infrastructure" has the characteristics of a “public good” and is viewed as fundamental
and critical bases for future economic and social development.
(b)
Implementation
of minimum agenda on e-governance at
various levels of government by 2005 ;
(c)
Implementation
of the action plans formulated by the sub-group on “e-governance” of the main
Working Group on “IT for the Masses” (2000) constituted by the Ministry of
Information Technology;
(d)
Allocation
of 2-3% of the Non-Plan Expenditure of the Central Government and out of this amount,
allocation of 1% as an R&D budget component for S&T projects in ICT
applications to facilitate strengthening “e-governance” ;
(e)
Identification
of National Informatics Centre as the Nodal Agency to implement “e-governance”,
in view of its expertise in ‘e-government” at various levels of government,
since 1975.;
(f)
Strengthening
NIC as central Certification Agency (CA) for Government organisations to Issue
Digital Certificates for ensuring security, integrity, authenticity and
non-repudiation of Information Transactions and prevent impersonification and
other frauds.
(g) Strengthening of NICNET,
which has its nodes in all 550 district administration, 35 state secretariats
and about 55 central government departments, with Metaframe System Server based on the emerging IP-any-where (thereby
solving the “last mile”
problem) and OpenGIS architecture (Figure-2), so as to make the Government
Informatics Network (NICNET) delivering services using the state-of-the-art ICT
network;
(h) Expansion
of NICNET infrastructure to
sub-district levels (~6500 development blocks) for promoting “e-governance” at
various levels of government.;
(i) Creating a “National
Free Trade Zone on Internet” to
take advantage of convergence of technologies and services, and e-commerce
(j) Securing a high rate of investment in ICT industries & applications leading
to e-commerce and e-governance, as the impact
of IT would be predominant in the social sectors like health, education,
judiciary and rural development, and the primary sector - agriculture.
(k) Launching pilot projects to
overcome the “last mile” problems – i.e. to network ever increasing number of
households by using the already existing telephones, television cables and
electric power connections.
Figure - 2 : OpenGIS Architecture
