Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran on Wednesday unveiled 26 projects under the National e-Governance Plan, which would cost the government around Rs 23,000 crore over the next five years.
"Central and state governments are already spending Rs 3,000 crore every year on various e-governance initiatives. The national plan is consolidating them and trying to set common standards for them," Maran said at a press conference.
He said by setting standards deliverables are ensured.
Apart from 26 mission mode projects, the plan has eight support components. States will have the flexibility to add up to five state-specific projects.
"The entire effort involves 500 implementation agencies, two lakh sites and an estimated 70,000 man-years of effort.
The major projects to be taken up by the plan include common service centres, land records, commercial taxes, agriculture, police, education, pensions, income tax and banking.
Maran said a body serviced by the Department of IT and Chaired by Prime Minister is being constituted to provide a thrust and drive to the implementation of the plan.
He said an Apex Committee chaired by he Cabinet Secretary has already been set up to oversee implementation and provide policy and strategic directions.
As many as 22 states have started implementing state wide area networks that would provide atleast 5 mbps connectivity up to the block level all over the country, Maran said adding that the roll out will cost Rs 3,300 crore and would be completed by 2007.
{{/usCountry}}As many as 22 states have started implementing state wide area networks that would provide atleast 5 mbps connectivity up to the block level all over the country, Maran said adding that the roll out will cost Rs 3,300 crore and would be completed by 2007.
{{/usCountry}}"The 100,000 common service centres would come up with public private partnership and would be run by individuals on a profit basis on the model of STD booths," Maran said.
He said the common service centres would be ready by end of 2007.
By 2007, land records, income tax and excise departments all over the country would be computerised, senior officials said.
Maran said that the centre would encourage use of open source and other software for the e-governance plan but they should ba able to connect with projects in other parts of the country.
The standards for the projects would be laid down by National Informatics Centre.
The Minister said all projects would have to be web-based and security of the nationwide e-governance infrastructure would also be ensured.