Skoch Summit 2009 Thinkers and Writers Forum January 22, 2009, New Delhi 2-50 p.m. to 3-00 p.m.

Barack Obama’s Agenda for E-governance by Dr D.C.Misra E-governance Researcher and Consultant C-183 Madhuvan Madhuvan Marg New Delhi-110 092 Tel: 22452431 Email: dc_misra@hotmail.com

by

Dr D.C.Misra

E-governance Researcher and Consultant

C-183 Madhuvan

Madhuvan Marg

New Delhi-110 092

Tel: 22452431

Email: dc_misra@hotmail.com

Barack Obama’s Agenda for E-governance Are There Any lessons for India? A Presentation by Dr D.C.Misra

Are There Any lessons for India?

A Presentation

by

Dr D.C.Misra

I INTRODUCTION The US. President is a tech-savvy person. He and his team made full use information and communication technology (ICT) during the election campaign. For example, according to reports, on www.barackobama.com/ More than 280,000 people created accounts, Users created over 6,500 grassroots volunteer groups,

The US. President is a tech-savvy person.

He and his team made full use information and communication technology (ICT) during the election campaign.

For example, according to reports, on www.barackobama.com/

More than 280,000 people created accounts,

Users created over 6,500 grassroots volunteer groups,

ICT in Election Organized more than 13,000 off-line events using the website, Over 15,000 policy ideas were submitted through the website. He made full use of social networking sites. Obama has built a treasure trove of database of more than 10 million supporters. Internet operation was looked after by 95 people.

Organized more than 13,000 off-line events using the website,

Over 15,000 policy ideas were submitted through the website.

He made full use of social networking sites.

Obama has built a treasure trove of database of more than 10 million supporters.

Internet operation was looked after by 95 people.

ICT in Election Official Stuff Watched (Free): --14.5 million hours --Cost on TV: $47 million Obama’s 37-minute Speech on Race : --6.7 million people watched Obama’s Twitter Account : Provided his daily whereabouts to his 160,000 followers Change.gov launched

Official Stuff Watched (Free):

--14.5 million hours

--Cost on TV: $47 million

Obama’s 37-minute Speech on Race :

--6.7 million people watched

Obama’s Twitter Account : Provided his daily whereabouts to his 160,000 followers

Change.gov launched

II Obama’s E-governance Agenda Obama has set an ambitious agenda for e-governance Open government as its main plank. There are many items in his agenda Following ten are particularly noteworthy:

Obama has set an ambitious agenda for e-governance

Open government as its main plank.

There are many items in his agenda

Following ten are particularly noteworthy:

E-governance Agenda Transparent and Connected Democracy Open Government Federal Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Openness of the Internet Protection of Children

Transparent and Connected Democracy

Open Government

Federal Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Openness of the Internet

Protection of Children

E-governance Agenda Public Media 2.0 Right to Privacy Next Generation Broadband Protection of Intellectual Property Rights at Home and Abroad, and Health Care.

Public Media 2.0

Right to Privacy

Next Generation Broadband

Protection of Intellectual

Property Rights at Home and

Abroad, and

Health Care.

III THREE NOTEWORTHY ITEMS (a) Open Government A challenging task Open Government vs Security and Privacy Closing the revolving door between the executive branch and K-Street lobbying shops. 800,000 contractors have security clearances at 11,000 government facilities (Verkuil 2007)

(a) Open Government

A challenging task

Open Government vs Security and Privacy

Closing the revolving door between the executive branch and K-Street lobbying shops.

800,000 contractors have security clearances at 11,000 government facilities (Verkuil 2007)

(b) Citizen Participation in Government Decision-Making A more challenging job than open government Legislators, once elected, forget about the citizens until the next election. Seeking Citizen views a mere formality? Tier 2 legislator?

A more challenging job than open government

Legislators, once elected, forget about the citizens until the next election.

Seeking Citizen views a mere formality?

Tier 2 legislator?

(c) National Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Co-ordination is no cakewalk CTO/CIO will protect his turf and the method of working Often immune to external advice In case he is suitably legally empowered, he will be a Super-CTO or Super CIO, and His authority is likely to be resented by agency CTO/CIO

Co-ordination is no cakewalk

CTO/CIO will protect his turf and the method of working

Often immune to external advice

In case he is suitably legally empowered, he will be a Super-CTO or Super CIO, and

His authority is likely to be resented by agency CTO/CIO

IV LESSONS FOR INDIA (A) Transparent and Connected Democracy Transparency is one of the characteristic features of e-governance It induced individuals and institutions to embrace and promote e-governance. It has so far eluded e-governance. Connected democracy , in which state and citizens are connected, can redress the situation to a great extent

(A) Transparent and Connected Democracy

Transparency is one of the characteristic features of e-governance

It induced individuals and institutions to embrace and promote e-governance.

It has so far eluded e-governance.

Connected democracy , in which state and citizens are connected, can redress the situation to a great extent

V CONCLUSION: LESSONS FOR INDIA (B) Open Government An ideal difficult to achieve in practice How much to give and how much to protect? Right to Information Act Need for Transparency (i) Recruitment, and (ii) Procurement

(B) Open Government

An ideal difficult to achieve in practice

How much to give and how much to protect?

Right to Information Act

Need for Transparency (i) Recruitment, and (ii) Procurement

(B) Citizen Participation in Government Decision-Making A more challenging job than open government E-tools available to facilitate it Email, Discussion Forum, RSS, Blog, Twitter and Wiki Government commitment is an essential requirement

A more challenging job than open government

E-tools available to facilitate it

Email, Discussion Forum, RSS, Blog, Twitter and Wiki

Government commitment is an essential requirement

(C) Citizen Participation in Government Decision-Making The real divide in governance is citizen-state divide E-governance has polarized the state and citizens State happy with its website Citizens happy with their discussion groups, blogs, twitter and social networking sites And the two don’t meet

The real divide in governance is citizen-state divide

E-governance has polarized the state and citizens

State happy with its website

Citizens happy with their discussion groups, blogs, twitter and social networking sites

And the two don’t meet

Citizen-State Divide Widening Divide under E-government Petition Gazette Website Group Blog Wiki (a) State (a) State (b) Citizen (b) Citizen Governance E-governance

Widening Divide under E-government

Common Service Centres under NeGP 1,00,000 common service centres (CSCs) under National eGovernance Plan (NeGP) to cover 6,00,000 villages Can CSCs narrow the gap between the citizen and the state? Can they be instruments of change from mai-baap government to government which serves the people and meets their needs ?

1,00,000 common service centres (CSCs) under National eGovernance Plan (NeGP) to cover 6,00,000 villages

Can CSCs narrow the gap between the citizen and the state?

Can they be instruments of change from mai-baap government to government which serves the people and meets their needs ?

V CONCLUSION India is world's fourth largest "Internet Nation," after the U.S., China and Japan. This is a critical mass in e-governance. It deserves better e-governance in its own right. Select items from Obama’s agenda in e-governance, which has universal appeal at least in democracies worldwide, may help us in making e-governance more meaningful and productive for citizens.

India is world's fourth largest "Internet Nation," after the U.S., China and Japan.

This is a critical mass in e-governance.

It deserves better e-governance in its own right.

Select items from Obama’s agenda in e-governance, which has universal appeal at least in democracies worldwide, may help us in making e-governance more meaningful and productive for citizens.

CONCLUSION Let us Focus on Three Areas for E-governance Transparent and Connected Democracy through CSCs Open Government Citizen Participation in Government Decision-Making

Let us Focus on Three Areas for

E-governance

Transparent and Connected Democracy through CSCs

Open Government

Citizen Participation in Government Decision-Making

End of Presentation Thank you Any questions?

Thank you

Any questions?