Penetration of e-Governance in J&K:A Case Study of National Informatics Centre, Awaaz-E-Awam and Online Employment Exchange

Governance is an exercise of power for steering social systems, as well as a method by which different institutions are directed, controlled, and held to account to their society. Now the government is more concerned in ensuring its overall direction, control, effectiveness, supervision and accountability. Therefore the government is now using more of ICT and other means to improve its performance. Ministry of Information Technology (MIT) plays a crucial role in facilitating e-governance by reinforcing knowledge based enterprises, encouraging coordination among users, adopting procedures based on international standards, promoting the internet and introducing IT education [1]. The policy-makers tend to justify the adoption and expansion of e-governance on the grounds that it costs less, reduces waste, promotes transparency, eliminates corruption, generates possibilities to resolve rural poverty and inequality, and guarantees a better future for citizens [2]. In the current study the four issues related to e-governance are studied in the J&K state and these are good governance, participation of citizens in decision making, grievance redressal and employment information. The current study reveals that 31.15%, 47.54%, 27.86% and 59.02% of the respondents believe that e-governance has contributed for the issues under consideration respectively.