Difference between e-Government & e-Governance

What is e-Governance: Electronic Governance or E-Governance is the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for providing government services, interchange of statistics, communication proceedings, and integration of various independent systems and services. Through the means of e-governance, government services are made available to citizens in a suitable, systematic, and transparent mode. The three main groups that can be discriminated against in governance concepts are government, common people, and business groups.

Difference between e-Government & e-Governance

E-governance is the best utilization of information and communication technologies to mutate and upgrade the coherence, productivity, efficacy, transparency, and liability of informational and transnational interchanges within government, between government agencies at different levels, citizens & businesses. It also gives authorization to citizens through access and use of information. Generally, E-governance uses information and communication technologies at various levels of the government and the public sector to enhance governance.

Some notable examples of successful implementation of E-Governance projects that have facilitated the successful synergy with governmental functions include projects like; the e-Mitra project in Rajasthan, the e-Seva project in Andhra Pradesh, CET which is the Common Entrance Test.

Major Elements of e-Governance

There are three major elements of e-Governance:

• Government
• Citizens
• Investors/Businesses

E-governance is of 4 types:

• Government-to-Citizen (G2C): The Government-to-citizen mentions the government services that are acquired by the familiar people. Most of the government services come under G2C. Similarly, the primary aim of Government-to-citizen is to supply facilities to the citizens. It also helps ordinary people to minimize the time and cost to carry out a transaction. A citizen can retrieve the facilities anytime from anywhere. Similarly, spending the administrative fee online is also possible due to G2C. The facility of Government-to-Citizen allows the ordinary citizen to outclass time limitations. It also focuses on geographic land barriers.

• Government-to-business (G2B): Government-to-business is the interchange of services between Government and Business firms. It is productive for both government and business firms. G2B provides access to pertinent forms needed to observe. It also contains many services interchanged between business sectors and government. Similarly, Government-to-business provides timely business information. A business organization can have easy and easy online access to government agencies. G2B plays an important role in business development. It upgrades the efficiency and quality of communication and transparency of government projects.

• Government-to-Government (G2G): The Government-to-Government mentions the interaction between different government departments, firms, and agencies. This increases the efficiency of government processes. In G2G, government agencies can share the same database using online communication. The government departments can work together. This service can increase international discretion and relations. G2G services can be at the local level or at the international level. It can convey to both global government and local government. It also provides a safe and secure inter-relationship between domestic and foreign governments. G2G builds a universal database for all members to upgrade service.

• Government-to-Employee (G2E): The Government-to-Employee is the internal part of G2G section. It aims to bring employees together and improvise knowledge sharing. It provides online facilities to the employees. Similarly, applying for leave, reviewing salary payment record and checking the balance of holiday. The G2E sector yields human resource training and development. So, G2E is also the correlation between employees and government institutions.

Impact of e-Governance

Improved service delivery: Using ICT for elections, census, computerizing government offices, digi lockers,e-health, e-education, and e-taxation. e-Governance has helped Corporates and other stakeholders to have convenient and secured online access to all services provided by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Improve industry-business interaction: E-governance accelerates industrial growth processes as it has interlinked several services and is delivering as a common thread between different sectors.

De-bureaucratization: E-governance eliminates the distance between the people and the government in all services and reduces the dependence on the bureaucracy, ultimately tacking the problem of red-tapism.

Reducing corruption: By employing E-governance, Government can track the official’s activity online through streamlined E-Systems which is helping in eliminating corruption.

Linking of Services: Linking of AADHAR with MGNREGA daily wage payments helped to eliminate the bogus beneficiaries which was used to observe earlier, which effects the financial burden on the government. Linking both AADHAR and MGNREGA has helped reducing corruption.

Plug leakages: The e-governance framework has helped the government to plug about $27 billion in leakage by digitally transferring money via DBT (Direct Bank Transfer).

Automation in Administrative Processes: Traditionally administration processes use to have heavy dependance on the paperwork and filing work, but e-Governance systems have eliminated the dependence on traditional approach and rather web based systems have been installed which streamlines the whole process. Also Saharsa became Bihar’s first district to enable e-office .

What is e-Government

E-Government is the use of information technologies (such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) by government agencies, which have the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders of government. Employing these technologies can serve a variety of purposes for government, primary purpose being to ensure better delivery of government services to citizens, improved interactions with business and industry, citizen empowerment through better communication and access to information, or more efficient government management. This can benefits can be mitigating risk of corruption, increased transparency among users, greater convenience, revenue growth, and cost reductions. Right to information is a perfect example of e-Government.

Key components of e-Government

The e-Government concept has four major domains:

• e-Administration– This ensures improving government processes by using Information Communication and Technology (ICTs) and government’s own process management. Under e-Administration there is no paperwork, each and every process is required to be done via the use of ICT.

• e-Government services– Delivering all government services electronically to citizens, businesses, government employees, and other stakeholders of government. Example- application for passport through the online system deployed by ministry of external affair (MEA).

• e-Democracy– Improves transparency and democratic decision making, as well as it aims at increasing citizen’s participation in public decision making. Example- e-Voting

• e-Governance– It is the development, deployment, and enforcement of the policies, laws, and regulations necessary for developing cooperation, building networking and maintaining partnerships between the government units, citizens and the business. Using technology citizen will get government services.

Impact of e-Government

Electronic Workflow: Establishments of uniform templates and uniform framework throughout government intranets. There has to be the standardized set of framework for every type of transaction or process, which is located in every government department or it’s agency. Administrative rules are to be developed that would routinize substantially the information processing and decision-making.

Transparency: The e-government’s main objective is to offer enhanced portfolio of public services in an efficient and the most cost-effective way to citizens. The e-government also could provide more transparency for the government as it enables the public to get informed about what government is working on and which policies are enforced.

Abolishing traditional workflow: Replacing and optimizing the traditional paper based system while implementing electronic government. This would help to save lots of time, money and also will help to contribute to take required steps in environment protection as there will be reduced paper consumption.

Increased Accountability: Using e-Government systems, the government has led to the development of quality information systems which ensures the proper accountability of public departments.

Difference between e-Governance and e-Government

Basis of Difference	e-Governance	e-Government
Meaning	e-Governance means the use of (Information Communication Technology) ICT in enhancing the range and quality of information and services delivered to the public, in a more effective manner.	e-Government means the application of ICT for supporting government operations, make citizens aware and deliver services.
Primary Focus	The Primary focus area is on the overall governance of processes	The Primary focus area is on the use of technology in government
Type of Communication protocol	e-Governance is a Two way communication protocol	e-Government is a One way communication protocol
Emphasis	e-Governance emphasis on the effective management of resources	e-Government emphasis on the delivery of government services
Aim	e-Governance aims to enhance the effectiveness and responsiveness of governance.	The aim of e-Government is to improve government efficiency and transparency
Technology	e-Governance involves the use of technology for policy formulation and decision-making	e-Government often involves the digitization of government processes and documents
Focus area	Transformation and democratization of essential governance processes	Digitization and automation of government processes
Example	All the Digital platforms for citizen participation and collaboration	Any online portals for government services

FAQs on e-Government and e-Governance

What is the primary focus of e-Government and e-Governance?

The primary focus of e-Governance is on the overall governance of processes, whereas the primary focus of e-Government is on the is on the use of technology in government.

What is an example of e-Government?

Examples of e-governance is Digital India initiative, National Portal of India, Prime Minister of India portal, Aadhaar, filing and payment of taxes online.

What are the examples of e-Governance?

Examples of e-Governance are e-Mitra project in Rajasthan, e-Seva project in Andhra Pradesh

What is the difference between e-governance and M government?

M-governance is a sub-topic of e-governance. M-governance ensures that major electronic services are available to citizens via mobile technologies using devices such as mobile phones. These services bypass the need for establishment of traditional physical networks for communications and collaboration.

What are the advantages of e-Governance?

Advantages of e- Governance are improved government interactions with business and industry, empowerment of citizens through access to information, Improving delivery and efficiency of services

What are the advantages of e-Government?

Advantages of e-Government are Accountability of Public services, Transparency within system, setting communication within departments, etc.,