Five Ways in Which E-Governance Benefits Citizens

E-governance initiatives are particularly important in a vast country such as India.

(Photo: iStock)

Thanks to the widespread availability of the internet, digitisation has taken over virtually every aspect of our life. This has also led to governments everywhere providing their services via the digital route. That’s what e-governance is all about.

You no longer need to stand in long queues or be physically present to avail of government services.

All you need is a smartphone with a great internet connection and you’re sorted.

E-governance initiatives are particularly important in a vast country such as India that’s aiming to be a digital superpower. Let's see some of the ways in which e-governance benefits the common man.

Speedier Services

One of the biggest advantages of e-governance is speed. Government services swiftly and directly reach your doorstep, saving a lot of time in the process. Similarly, you can directly reach out to the government in case of any queries. This way, there is quick two-way communication between both citizens and the government entity - no more middlemen and prolonged waiting periods.

Empowers Citizens By Giving Them Improved Access

If earlier, you couldn’t access certain government services owing to physical constraints, uncertain wait times or even ignorance, e-governance has solved this problem. You can now access a host of services right from the comfort of your homes, in just a few clicks. Now isn't that empowering?

You can now access a host of services right from the comfort of your homes.(Photo: iStock)

Leads To Cost And Time-Effectiveness

E-governance has eliminated the need for traditional methods of storing data and indiscriminate use of stationery. Today you can store data over the cloud and send communication over the internet. This not only saves cost and time, but also proves to be a more secure way of managing large amounts of public data.

Processes Become Transparent

E-governance initiatives ensure that there is transparency between the government and private citizens. You can fill applications online, check their status, know the reason for delay, if any, and do a lot more, all from the comfort of your home. You can also keep track of processes online unlike earlier.

E-governance has eliminated the need for traditional methods of storing data.(Photo: iStock)

Makes Governments More Accountable

All the above benefits are directly linked to accountability. E-governance makes governments more accountable and answerable to citizens and leaves little room for doubt or misrepresentation. This improves citizen-government relationship and builds trust between them.

In keeping with the benefits of e-governance, Airtel has designed a future-ready state wide area network (SWAN) for Uttar Pradesh that will ensure effective e-delivery of government services for citizens of the state. Called UPSWAN 2.0, this initiative is one of the largest of its kinds in India and aims to connect all headquarters (state, district, block and tehsil) across Uttar Pradesh.

This means the residents of UP, even in deep rural pockets, will be able to access a number of government-related services online, including the filing of applications, and issuance of certificates.

UPSWAN 2.0 is powered by Airtel Business which is a leading provider of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services that cater to governments, enterprises and businesses across India. It has the potential to herald a digital revolution in UP and will lay the foundation of future smart cities across the state. This can then be replicated all over the country. Here’s to more such connected states and cities in India!