World Bank may aid India e-governance projects

The government is in talks with the World Bank for technical and financial assistance for overall e-governance projects in the country.

It is also considering addition of two more Mission Mode projects to the existing 22 such projects under the National E-governance Action Plan.

"We are in dialogue with the World Bank for overall e-governance projects in the country both at the state and the central level for technical and financial assistance which will be in the areas of guiding in project management as well as lending on soft rates," R Chandrasekhar, joint secretary, IT department said on Wednesday at an e-governance seminar.

He said technical assistance from the bank would be in the form of seeking consultancy in project management of large-scale projects of e-governance and preparing project structure.

As part of financial assistance, the lending could be in the form of grants and loans on softer interest rates.

A core group led by the Cabinet secretary would decide on the matter.

Out of the 22 projects, eight are for the Centre, nine in the state and five are at the integrated level.

The government has approved the National E-Governance Action Plan for implementation during the year 2003-07 for creating an institutional framework for the same and has also identified over 22 Mission Mode Projects at central and state levels to be taken up under the Plan.

The Plan has approved a number of Mission Mode projects for implementation under the central government like Income Tax, passport, visa and immigration, insurance, National Citizen Database, central excise, pensions and banking.

Under the state government Mission Mode list which is to be finalised after consultation with states, the Action Plan envisages to take up land records, road transport, property registration, agriculture, treasure, municipalities, gram panchyats, commercial taxes and police in the Union Territories initially for e-governance activities.

However, for the budgetary outlays, separate approvals from the Planning Commission and the ministry of finance are envisaged. At present, concerned ministries and departments are working out budgetary requirements for priority allocations.