IN-FOCUS · and eGovernance” by Imaginea Inc., (a business unit of Pramati Technologies that provides product engineering services to ISVs, enterprises and SaaS businesses) states

IN-FOCUSTransforming the vision of good governance into realityGlobal governments are focusing on how they can engage with their citizens more effectively, provide them better services, increase their participation in decision-making and leverage ICT to deliver better governance.

SPOTLIGHTeGovernance and the CloudGovernment departments with their massive data centers and stringent data privacy and security guidelines make a natural contender for private Cloud rollouts. The Cloud is becoming the back-bone on which eGovernance projects are being deployed.

Q&A“Our vision and effort is to take �� reality.”—Shankar Aggarwal, Additional Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Department of Information Technology.

TECH TRENDS��!��governanceMicrosoft and its large community of partners is working closely with governments across the globe to transform them in the 2.0 world.

REGULARS

Editorial

Chairman’s message

Case Study: Madhya Pradesh

Case Study: EEA

Case Study: Carlsbad

Global Outlook

News

MICROSOFT INTERFACE | APR-JUN 2011 �

Contents

4

9

14

20

2

3

24

26

28

29

31

��MICROSOFT INTERFACE | APR-JUN 2011

Editorial

Recognizing the growing wave of eGovernance in India

Governance has emerged as a key talking point for governments across the world as well as India, in recent

years. As they have become more aware, citizens are seeking �� This has led to serious thinking related to centralizing government services, and giving people single point contacts, for dealing with government departments and agencies. eGovernance, where technology plays the role of a key enabler, has been the answer.

Slowly, but surely, initiatives are being launched across India, that are helping ordinary people to interface with the government in a smooth and affordable manner. Recognizing this growing wave of eGovernance in India, we decided to devote an issue to this important development. From examining the state of eGovernance in the country, to focusing on new delivery methods such as the Cloud, to showcasing Microsoft’s offerings for governments—this Interface touches upon each of these crucial issues.

India is at a very interesting juncture in its eGovernance journey. While a beginning has been made, several challenges still line the path of citizen services delivery. Governments across India are in the process of building capacity and getting funding for their ambitious citizen-services projects. Work is also on to achieve closer proximity between governments and the vendors, helping them deploy and roll out eGovernance services. An improved understanding between the public and private sectors is resulting in more successes and better eGovernance outcomes.

This issue of Interface looks at how, good governance can become a reality, and at how ICT, provided by the country’s leading technology organisations, can help governments achieve this goal.

Gauri AroraEditor, [email protected]

Slowly, but surely, initiatives are being launched across India, that are helping ordinary people to interface with the government in a smooth and affordable manner.

E

Chairman’s Message

eGovernance, the route to India’s inclusive growth

n a democratic nation of over one billion people like India, eGovernance should enable seamless access to information and

�� the federal set up. No country has so far implemented an eGovernance system for one billion people, it is a big challenge for us.”These words, spoken by former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, capture the essence of India’s eGovernance journey.It is true that eGovernance and the rollout of citizen services, using IT �� the Indian government. Overall, India has taken strides in eGovernance, with almost all states across the country introducing e-services in some form or the other. Andhra Pradesh for instance, has launched the Rajiv Internet Village (RaJiv) project, for establishing 11,000 ICT kiosks in the rural parts of the state. Similarly, the state of Delhi, under Project Jeevan, has made functional around 520 Citizen Service Centers (CSCs) that provide utility payment services. Karnataka, meanwhile, has built two levels of strategies for delivering eServices in urban areas (under the Bangalore One and Karnataka One platforms) and rural areas (under the Nemmadi platform). In Gujarat, services to citizens are being delivered in a department-centric, de-centralized manner and include city civic centers that are running in four municipal corporations. These are of course the success stories. There are however, several instances where eGovernance implementation has been slow, �� and execution. Other issues, such as lack of funding for back-end computerization initiatives, paucity of human resources, delays in technology procurement and project rollout and absence of broadband connectivity, have also impeded eGovernance rollout. What India needs is for the pace of eGovernance to be stepped up, so that development and growth is inclusive. States that have faced �� the strategies adopted by their more active peers, and in this way hasten implementation. Such states can even share ICT infrastructure with other states that have excess, unutilized capacity. An example of this is ��!��!��!"�� # ��& Kashmir. Supported by Microsoft, the implementation is using the spare capacity of the data centers of Madhya Pradesh, to make available Cloud-enabled e-District services for the citizens of the state. Innovative approaches such as this can be leveraged by government organizations. It is only when eGovernance services proliferate that the governments can realize their goal of providing citizens good �� "��$%��to the rural hinterland, where it is still not visible. Quicker eGovernance rollout is the need of the the day. India needs it, and the country’s citizens need it.

Bhaskar PramanikChairman, Microsoft India

MICROSOFT INTERFACE | APR-JUN 2011 �

It is true that eGovernance and the rollout of citizen services, using IT and the Internet as platforms, has become �� focus for the Indian government.

“I

In Focus

4 MICROSOFT INTERFACE | APR-JUN 2011

Transforming the vision of good governance into reality

'� *�� %�� $��+��

'� /��3�� %��!4��4� ��67��

'� ��8�� 4��4��

'� 8��!� �� 9;%��<767�� 9�� $

'� *��;��3 ��%�<77=��!��8��$��>��"��?��9�� X� �� !� ��

�� !�� %�� !� ��Y

'� Z��# �� $�<6��<77[��$��\��Z� � �� ]��+�� ^� ��9_��`�� *��/� �� $� ��Z�� $��q$�� "�� $�� *��

In Focus

In Focus

�� $� ��

�� $��$�� !� "��

9��$�� /�� $�� "�� $�� "�� *��$�� $��

��$� �� !� "�� `�� ;��3 ��`��\�� {;3`\}�� ~�X��_�� $�� $%�� Y

^�� Z��$� ��X�� Y�� $�� $�� _��

�� X��$�� $�� "�� $�� _�� $��

�� Y�� $��?��q �"�� ~�/��?��q �"%��9_��

Evolving to good governance�� "�$�� ~�

��9��$��

�� /�� /�� _ �� $��*�� $�?��

�� _��$�� /�� $��7!=7��$%�� /��

�� /��

� �� $�� !�� q�� "�� $�� $� �� $� �� "�� $��

?�� $� �� *�� $�� 4/��

/�� $�� 4/�� $� �� _��$��

The role of ICT in eGovernance�4/��"�$� �� "��

MICROSOFT INTERFACE | APR-JUN 2011 5

�

ICT is becoming key as it hastens and improves ��

In Focus

�� /�� 4/�� $�� ~

��!��!�� $� ��$��4/��!�� <�� $�� 4/��$��"�� !�� Z�� $�� $��$�� $��

*��_ �� <��8� �� "��$��*�� \� ��/��*�� \� ��8�� $� �� q�� $��"�� "��

8� ��

�� $��"�� "�� *�� \� ��8�� /�� X� ��$��Y�� X�� Y�� $��/� ��

��/��4/!�� + �$�� ?�� $�� $�� /�� ]�� $�� $��$�� _��

/��4/�� $�� $�� $��<4��

� �� $�� $�� $� ��!��$��

/��+ ��$ �\� ��%��!`�� <4�� <��/��+ ��$ �\� ��{��+\}�� "�� `��*�� $��

9�� $��!�� 4��8��4��{484�}��8 � �� 9"�`��+\!Z��"��"�� /��+ ��$ �\� �� !`�� !�� /�� ~�� 8 � �� 8��

��!��!q�� !�� 4/� �� /��$��<q�� _��

9_ ��<q�� ~��"� ��?�� !�� *�� <q��4/��


�� ! �� "#��

In Focus

�� / "�� !��$�� q��$��8�� /�� !�� $�� $�� $��

�\�� $�� *�� \� �� $�� $��

Building a framework for eGovernance in India�� "�� 4/� �� /�� 4/��<��<4� ��<q��

�� $�� "�� $� �� %��3 �� \� ��{3��\}�� "�� $�� $�� $� �� $��

/��\� �� /�� $��/�� $�� $� $�� $��

/��\� �� $�� $� ��$�� "��

3��\%�� "�� $�� $��

3��\�� ~4��8��4��{484�}��!��$�� /�� $�� "�� /��

/�� $�� 8� ��?��*�� 3��"��{8?*3�}�� "��"��


� � �� ;/� ��8� ��` � �4��{8`4�}�� /�� !��

/��<��+��+��\��{++\�}�� _�� $�� $��!��$��X+��+��Y�� $�� !�� !�� 9 ��++\�� $�� $� ��$�� $� ��

/��++\�� 67�4�� 67�8� �� +��`��

Z��<��+��+��\��3 �� \� ��{3��\}��6��++\�� $�� $�� 6��++\�� _��<76��4�� $�� "��

Central MMPs State MMPs Integrated MMPs

'�q �"�� '�*�� '�484�

'�4�� 9_��4�� '�4�� / _�� '��!q�

'��/ _�{�/}� � '��`�� '��!4��

'�� '�9��$��9_� �� '��!\��

'�+4*<6� � � '�� '�9`��>��/� ��

'�3 �� 4��` � � �� '�+�� '�3 �� !��

'�\ �� '�� \ �� $ �� 8��`��$

'�� '�\�� $

��>�� '�� /� �� '�� \��

�� /� "�� '�/��

'�\��

'��!Z��

In Focus

��$�� 3��\�� $��$� �� "��<77�� *�� ?�� "�� $�� !��

+ �� $�� $� �� 6�7�� <�7�� _�� _��

The shift from eGovernment to Government 2.0 /�� $�� $� ��!�� "�� /�� $��$�� 4/��

/�� "�� /��$� �� "��$��

8�� <�7�� /� �� 4��8��/� �� *�� !��!��


�� $�� $��<�7� ��

�4/�� $�� <�7��/��$� �� 6�7��<�7��4�� 4/�� $��

*�� "�$�� >�� $��{�� "� ��%��$� �� $��$�� $��}� �� $��

Z�� {�� $� � � ��$�� $�� }� ��

��8��88�� !��

��

/ "�� 4 � � �� "�� <�7� �� !� "�� "��!�� "�� 88�� $��

/�� # �� %��4�� <�7�{�� 8��}��

q$�� _��]�� 6�7��*�� <�7��$�� $�� ]��!��$�� ?�� 4��] ��

�� $�� <�7�� !��

�� "#�� $�� citizens, greater transparency in government operations, and increased participation by ��

Spotlight

eGovernance and the Cloud

Spotlight

Government departments with their massive data centers and stringent data privacy and security guidelines make a natural contender for private Cloud rollouts. The Cloud has emerged as a necessity, the back-bone on which eGovernance projects need to be deployed.


Spotlight


he emergence of cloud computing over the past

few years, and its gradual adoption by both businesses and the government, are demonstrating just how powerful the Cloud story can be in the eGovernance space.

8��$��$�>��Research, cloud computing is a “standardized IT capability, such as software application platform or infrastructure, delivered via Internet technologies, in a pay-per-use and self service way.”

The Cloud is being regarded as a key component of a robust eGovernance strategy by governments across the world. Many governments are embracing the Cloud to harness the advantages of Information Technology and to provide citizens ��!��"�$��$�and cost-effectively.

One of the top draws of cloud computing for IT users, is saving money or reducing expenditure on IT. The metered subscription model of cloud computing ensures that governments and their other agencies and departments can �� "��that they would have otherwise incurred on provisioning, buying, implementing and managing business software and hardware.

The Cloud can also play a �� the following ways:'� /��_� ��

capacity of the Cloud can be leveraged to host unique (and large) datasets, making them available to citizens or researchers with Web browsers.

'� /�� instantly scale its successful applications/services as more and more citizens begin availing of them, on a need-to-basis.

'� �� Z�%� ��Z��%�workloads, such as examination

evaluation.'� `� ��_��

unplanned peaks in demand like natural and man-made disasters that cannot be provisioned for.

'� �� bursting, such as election results; board exam results, etc.

'� /��4�� organizations to deliver better services, even as they work with fewer resources.

'� q$�� /��the Cloud, huge savings and economies of scale and standardization can be achieved.

'� 4�� improve transparency, a major goal for government enterprises.

A White Paper titled “Cloud and eGovernance” by Imaginea Inc., (a business unit of Pramati Technologies that provides product engineering services to ISVs, enterprises and SaaS businesses) states that the biggest ��4�� helps consolidate all data centers and optimize resource utilization, reducing support and maintenance costs by more than half, without compromising on performance, availability and reliability of applications.

The White Paper suggests �� infrastructure, based on the Cloud and SOA architectures can pave the way for sharing of �� "��agencies, and enable the delivery of seamless services to the public. Cloud architectures, it states, allow

rapid deployment of turnkey test environments, with little or no customization.

Overcoming the challenges of eGovernanceThe Imaginea White Paper highlights the typical challenges that governments face in delivering citizen services and highlights how the Cloud can help overcome these concern areas. Take the instance of data scaling. According to Imaginea, databases have to be scalable to deal with the rather expansive data that governments have accumulated over the years. Cloud databases can be scaled, without loss of performance, and used for such applications. Scalability, in fact, is stated to be inbuilt with Cloud architectures.

Cloud databases in fact, are good for situations where there is a need for on-demand, high-end, distributed scalability. At the same time the Cloud is also useful for replicating applications built by the government, and rolling them out in other areas quickly. The Cloud can also play a critical role in areas such as disaster recovery, as Cloud virtualization technologies that allow backups and restoration can come to the rescue during natural disasters �� "�� and internal disturbances.

`�� "��Japan, for instance, government agencies in the country used the Cloud to disseminate news about the disaster, put out its list of dead and missing, and

The Cloud is being regarded as a key component of a robust eGovernance strategy by governments across the world.

T

Spotlight

even helped people connect with loved ones who were separated and lost when the Tsunami struck. . The Cloud also became a vital platform for calls for �� q$��online alerts and SOS calls for help, the Japanese government was able to draw the attention of global governments, NGOs and other agencies, who sent in vital supplies, medicines, doctors and other support.

Interestingly, the Cloud can help the government maintain transparency, weed out corruption by analyzing voluminous data and detecting fraud, and even provide services that create learning for citizens in an exciting and engaging fashion. An example of this is US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which is using the Cloud to generate interest among citizens

about the planet Mars.

In situations where governments need to undertake technology migration, the Cloud is the right tool. There is a constant requirement for government to upgrade its software to newer versions, and apply application and security patches to ensure a secure data center for eGovernance. The Cloud architecture ��$�� "��requirements, by co-existing and co-locating different versions and releases of the software at the same time. Once these applications are tested, they can be migrated to production with ease.

At the same time, the Cloud can help governments scale their eGovernance operations ��_��$�� growing body of citizens and their requirements.

The Indian government and the Cloudq �� it is clearly worthwhile for governments in India to embrace the Cloud as their backbone for providing services. Since security remains a key issue for governments, the private Cloud is emerging as a viable option. The private Cloud infrastructure is operated solely for one organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.

�� %��+��$��/��Communications in fact, is encouraging states to share their private Cloud infrastructure, including applications and data centers. Government estimates say that if two or more states consume IT-as-a-service using the private Cloud model, it could save the exchequer almost 50 percent of the Rs. 1,378 crore allocated for state data center projects. The �� {8`4}��is part of the Rs. 27,000 crore National eGovernance Plan rolled out in 2006.

Among the services that can be moved to the private Cloud include procurement, Human Resource management, policing, taxation, land records, revenue management, contract � � ��q$�� these applications to the Cloud, it is possible to create a scenario where users have ready access to information and databases and can easily exchange this information. Typically, eGovernance also implies a reduction in paper use, and hence a more Green environment.

Growing acceptability of the CloudWhile Cloud adoption for eGovernance is still in a nascent stage in India, the expectation is that this will change in the future.


Spotlight


Speaking at the Government Cloud Forum 2010, held in late Z�� $� ��3��`��Chandrashekar, Secretary for IT, Ministry of IT and Communications had said the following about government-as-a-service: “Collaboration on e -governance via Cloud technologies may include 90 percent of the citizen services, which have not yet been rolled out. It will also make project execution faster.”

Speakers at the Government Cloud Forum India 2010—the only dedicated public sector cloud computing event which brings together end users in central and local government, education and healthcare, along with leading industry experts from the world of IT—were quick to point out that the technology offered many advantages to government

organizations. The government, it was acknowledged, was in a unique situation to leverage cloud computing.

The attributes of good Cloud deploymentsAccording to analysts, there are still some deep rooted concerns that government functionaries have about embracing the 4�� times more civil servants trust existing internal systems over Cloud-based systems, due to fears about security threats and loss of control over data. At the same time vendor lock-in is one of the primary fears expressed by government IT leaders when considering a move to the Cloud. For the Cloud to be truly useful for eGovernance, it must showcase the following positive features:

Openness and interoperability�� Cloud would be greatly reduced if it were to be an isolated and closed platform, instead of an open and interoperable one that it is today.

In its truest form, an open and interoperable Cloud would ensure that one Cloud solution is able to work with other platforms applications and other Clouds. To begin with, it is important to point out that the Cloud is not and can never become an all-or-nothing solution for any organization.

Tight integration between applicationsNearly all global government departments, ministries and agencies that are embracing cloud computing are running a combination of on-premise

Jammu & Kashmir to take the Cloud route to eGovernance, share eGov infrastructure with Madhya Pradesh government

8��$�+��# �� expected to soon roll out Cloud based services to citizens. In what is an extremely interesting eGovernance rollout, the government has decided to “share” the existing eGovernance infrastructure and excess capacity (basically data center space) of the government of Madhya \� ��q$�� a private Cloud, the government of Madhya Pradesh can offer IT-as-a-service to any other state government, through what is expected to eventually become a pay-per-use model. The government of MP has itself recently rolled out ��!`�� providing services such as land record services, �� ?� ��#�� data centers at Madhya Pradesh into a private Cloud, allowing the latter to offer IT-as-a-service to any other state government, through what will

eventually become a pay-per-use model.

In order to do so, the government of Madhya \� �� +��%��`$� ��4�+�solution, creating a “tenant” on the data center, �� $��#��%��!`�� `�� $�`$� ��8�� $��support for different languages, the application, �� #�� ;��*�� $%��` �� /��!`��$�� #��government gives its approval. The entire range of 43 services will then be provided to citizens in the state in a phased manner. These will include services related to issuing � �� recruitment services for citizens. It will be possible for the state to roll out these services within 60 days at zero initial cost.

Spotlight

Spotlight

and Cloud-based applications; and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

When co-existence of both on-premise and Cloud-based applications in any IT environment is accepted as given, the need for a tight integration between the two sets of applications becomes apparent and imperative.

Data portabilityAnother attribute is data portability—which at its core enables businesses to move their data in and out of any Cloud application or platform without ��$�� $�� ` � �� $�is more than a fundamental requirement for an open Cloud—it is the core assurance that any government will seek before embracing cloud computing.

Support for standardsCloud platforms and applications must additionally support all existing and evolving standards that would make it easier for applications and platforms to interconnect.

Ease of migration/��"�$�� Cloud is ease of migration and deployment, which addresses the process of migrating existing IT assets to the Cloud. Cloud platforms should provide a secure migration path that preserves

existing investments and should enable the co-existence between on-premise software and Cloud services.

This will enable customers to run “private Clouds” and partners (including hosters) to run “partner Clouds,” as well as take advantage of public Cloud platform services.

SecurityThis is an extremely important issue for governments exploring cloud computing for their eGovernance applications. For many governments, that handle voluminous citizen data, ensuring the security of this data, and protecting it from intrusion is an imperative. It is here that the public Cloud versus private Cloud debate comes into play. eGovernance services that

take into account the security requirements of governments are well supported by a private Cloud. In this case governments can try cloud computing in-house, instead of going with an Internet based service provider. Private Clouds offer governments with the scalability, metering, and time-to-� �"�� 4��without relinquishing control, security and recurring costs to a service provider.

A Cloud platform that supports the above mentioned elements not only supports mixed-IT environments, but also adds to the value proposition of cloud computing and accelerates the move away from on-premise deployments.

However, an open Cloud is not ��!��$� �$��it is rather a journey for all stakeholders, led by the IT industry. In its truest form, an open and interoperable Cloud will ensure that one Cloud solution is able to work with other platforms, applications, other Clouds. Once some of these existing challenges and pain points are overcome, the �� move to the Cloud. Embracing the Cloud in fact, is a matter of when, not if, for most organizations, including governments today. �

Speakers at the Government Cloud Forum India 2010—the only dedicated public sector cloud computing event which brings together end users in central and local government, education and healthcare, along with leading industry experts from the world of IT—were quick to point out that the technology offered many advantages to government organizations.


Q & AQ & A


“Our vision and effort is to take fiber to each and every panchayat by 2013-14 and make eGovernance a reality.”—Shankar Aggarwal, Additional Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Department of Information Technology

Q & A

What is the government’s vision on eGovernance? Where are we on the National eGovernance Plan (NeGP)?India has been doing wonderfully well in terms of ICT, which means primarily the private sector. Our IT experts are doing great work for the country and for other nations. The government realized that since such ICT expertise was available within the country, why not make use of this technology ��

While on the supply side, solutions are available, on the demand side, there still is quite a bit to be done, in terms of governance and delivery of services. We are taking several steps, but still face a gap in the quality of service delivery. There is a shortfall between what is required and what is being done today.

This becomes evident when you look at educational services, �� If you look at other public sector services such as the delivery of tax �� $�� $�� still not available to citizens.

People have to go to the district headquarters, to the block headquarters or the tehsil headquarters to avail of these services. They have to submit forms and often these forms are not available. Even to procure a form to seek a particular service, people have to pay money. Besides money, they also end up spending a lot of time, energy, and effort.

Instead of spending their time, energy and money on seeking these services, these citizens could have used their expertise for other more productive work. Take farmers for instance. They can make use of their time and energy

to produce more, rather than be running around to procure copies of their land records.

The government felt that since there was a large pool of expertise available within the country, there was a huge demand from citizens for electronic delivery of public special services, the two needed to be married.

This is why, in 2006, we thought of starting this in an organized manner under the National eGovernance Plan (NeGP). The Plan has a vision to ensure that all citizens of India have access to information and public services, irrespective of whether they are living in rural or urban areas. The mission is also to make available these services at the doorsteps of citizens in the most cost-effective manner.

When we started out on the NeGP journey, the government devised a strategy as well. The strategy is based on three or four components, the chief being that instead of focusing on the acquisition of hardware and software, let the government train its sights on services and on undertaking Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and change management.

Secondly, ICT is a very powerful tool and its power lies in the fact that it makes it possible to store information, and applications at one centralized place. This can then be accessed by citizens on an anytime, anywhere basis, no matter where they are located, in New Delhi or New York.

Once the information or application is in a centralized place, you can ensure the quality of that information, the security of that information and its 24x7 availability.

It was in 2006 that the government decided to focus on BPR, the manner in which it was delivering its services, and the way it was processing service requests.

We recognized at the same time, that in order to deliver these services, we had to have a vehicle, the infrastructure. As part of this infrastructure, we began creating State Data Centers to process and store all the applications and data at those particular locations.

We additionally realized that we needed connectivity, so that people from remote areas could access the available information. This meant State Wide Area Networks (SWANS), which we are still in the process of setting up.

Finally, we understood that people wanting to access information, needed some kind of front-end. The government came up with the idea of the Common Service Centers (CSCs), essentially kiosks and telecenters, where citizens could come for the services.

What is the status of the NeGP today in terms of milestones achieved?We are setting up data centers in every state and Union Territory, and today 12 data centers are in operation. We expect that by the �� $� �� centers will be up and working.


“Our intent is to cover 250,000 panchayats, which means that the entire population will get covered. Our idea is that nobody should have to travel more than three kms to access the Internet.”

Q & A

On the network front, 26 Wide Area Networks are in operation as of now and we expect the balance SWANs to become operational by the end of this year. What that means is that two key pieces will come to full completion by the end of the year.

Regarding the CSCs, our front-ends, we have already set up 94,000 CSCs, against a target of 100,000. And according to the new target, we have to escalate to 250,000 CSCs, which means that ultimately, each and every panchayat will have a telecenter. We are talking about giving access to everyone. Access will come when citizens have broadband connectivity, and computing facilities. Therefore, even if they do not have their own computers or broadband connectivity, citizens can make use of the shared infrastructure provided by the government. They can go to a PCO type facility, or a kiosk, and access these services.

Are the CSCs an attempt by the government to overcome the big challenges of low ICT and broadband penetration? Is the government hoping to get past existing hurdles in this fashion?We are not hoping, we are �� Our intent is to cover 250,000 panchayats, which means that the entire population will get covered. Our idea is that nobody should have to travel more than three kms to access the Internet.

What do you believe is the role

is make this content available in the local language, so that the boys and girls in villages and small towns can comprehend it.

When I was in school, it was all about rote learning. However, that is not true education. This is the reason why, despite being over 1.2 billion people, we do not have many Nobel Laureates. Even in the area of ICT, most of the high-end solutions, are being delivered by MNCs. They may have their own facilities in India, and may have hired people from this country, but when they employ people, they give them a different orientation and expose them to new concepts.

Our idea is to expose our children to high quality local content, because then, the sky’s the limit for them. Their only challenge is that they are living in rural areas, and do not have access to good quality education. Our plan is to make use of ICT to deliver good quality content in the local language. Suddenly there will be a transformation.

Apart from education, issues related to healthcare too can be addressed by ICT. If you go to smaller towns and rural areas, healthcare services are not available. It is here that telemedicine can make a difference. This is the only ��/�� $��get good quality doctors who are passionate about their work, and are willing to go to villages. Also, healthcare services have become very expensive. People go to doctors only when it is a matter of survival.

The third area where ICT can play �� Whatever they may say, the fact is that bankers, banking systems, �� going to set up brick-and-mortar bank branches in rural areas as it does not make commercial

ICT will play in taking India into the digital age?Today, about 70 percent of people in India are living in rural areas and they do not have access to computing facilities, to broadband connectivity—the Internet. On the other side, they also do not have access to good quality education and good quality healthcare services. Even now, about 65 percent of rural households do not have a bank account and therefore no access to institutional �� $�� "��people out of the poverty cycle, they need to have access to �� /��$��have the facility of credit, or they will not be able to improve their lot. Say if youngsters in a village or town want to set up a small micro enterprise, how can they do that? *�� help them to do so and ICTs can enable such inclusion.

Today, under the ‘Education For All’ program, we have created the relevant infrastructure, i.e., the school building for learners, even teachers have been posted. However, the quality of education needs further improvement. While we take pride in the fact that we are the youngest country in the world in terms of working age people, and enjoy a demographic dividend, the fact is that we cannot leverage this advantage unless we equip people with high quality skills and make them employable.

Already, good educational content is available. What we need to do


“Capacity building and awareness building is going to be critical across the entire eGovernance ecosystem. The success of eGovernance in fact lies in capacity building.”

Q & A

sense for them. A 100 to 1000 people are not going to give you enough business. On the other hand, with the use of ICT, the transaction costs can be reduced from Rs. 100 per transaction, to less than ten paise per transaction. Suddenly, it will start making commercial sense. And this is what is happening today.

A number of village level entrepreneurs who are the operators of the CSCs, are delivering banking services in rural areas. Going forward, when people go to the kiosks, their biometrics will get captured and transferred through the Internet to the central server. After authentication, people will be able to do all kinds of banking transactions at the kiosks and telecenters.

As on date, more than 600 CSCs are delivering banking services in rural areas. We are moving towards telemedicine as well. However, it is still in a very nascent stage because it requires a lot of tie-ups at the back-end. You need to have doctors at the back-end. However, in the �� education, we are already seeing the contribution of ICT.

A number of eGovernance projects that have been rolled out must also be delivering results?Oh yes, they are, and we now have the approval of the Union Cabinet to implement a key mission mode project—e-Districts. Under the e-Districts program, we will automate all our back-end processes at the district and sub-district levels. In this way, all the services being delivered at the district level, will be in electronic form. Today we have the entire infrastructure, the CSCs and SWANS, but since the back-end processes have not been automated, the services are not being delivered electronically. It

will now be possible to do that.

eGovernance projects are facing ��"��leading to their failure? What ��#��"�� $��government doing to resolve them to improve eGovernance outcomes?The biggest challenge we are facing is the availability of power in rural areas. In the absence of reliable power, it is not possible to operate computing facilities and connectivity infrastructure. That’s the big picture. To get conventional power will take a lot of time. Therefore, we are now focusing on making use of solar energy, because the power requirement is not very high. Possibly, 500-600 watts of power are needed to run two or three computers, modems, printers and scanners. This power can be supplied through solar energy systems.

The second challenge is connectivity. Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to take good quality broadband connectivity to panchayats. Yes, connectivity is available, but can children go to the telecenters to access high quality educational content? No, that is not happening.

That is taking time. To deal with it, the government has constituted a task force and created a roadmap. Our vision and effort �� "�� $�panchayat by 2013-14 and make eGovernance a reality. Once $�� bandwidth will become available. This entails a huge investment of around Rs. 30-40,000 crore, therefore it is taking time. But the government is moving in this direction. Shortly, we will be able to take connectivity to each and every panchayat.

Is it not possible to use alternative wireless technologies �� last mile??�� "�� ?�� "��the panchayat headquarters. For individual connections you need to go for wireless technology. Earlier, we were considering the ��?!+ _�� it was very expensive. Our focus �� "��panchayats.

What about mobility? Will the mobile platform be used by the government to deliver services?Yes, as the penetration of mobile


Q & A

technology is very high. Around 70 percent of people have mobiles, and over the next few years, many Indians will move to smartphones. The moment people have smartphones, they have connectivity, which means that a number of services can be delivered to them over their mobile devices.

The Department of IT (DIT) is in the process of creating a platform for delivering government services over mobile devices. A consultation paper is already up on our website which talks about the use of mobile technology to deliver services. Going forward, it will become possible for people to seek government services and have them delivered on their phones, irrespective of the type of devices that are being used and irrespective of the mobile operators involved. We will be able �� services as well as educational content to people through the mobile platform.

How important is the Public Private Partnership model to the success of eGovernance projects? How can the private sector play a more responsible role in ensuring better eGovernance outcomes?There is no doubt that the private sector brings in the expertise, it ��$�� well as the resources. There is no alternative to the private sector. The government realizes that it must harness the expertise that is available and the resources available in the private sector. The PPP model represents a different kind of partnership - it is not about a contractor and a contractee. A mechanism has to be created where we can come together on a common platform and work together.

I believe the private sector in ICT is doing a wonderful job.

We have found private sector companies willing to cooperate and collaborate in the entire eGovernance process. The private sector is doing wonderful work, in terms of improving the quality of services, improving the quality of life of the people of the country, improving education and improving the process of wealth creation in India.

What about building capacity with the government for eGovernance? Also awareness levels about eGovernance are low among citizens.That is correct. Capacity building and awareness building is going to be critical across the entire eGovernance ecosystem. The success of eGovernance in fact lies in capacity building. We have to put our best foot forward in this area. While we can hire people from the best organizations in the country, once they go away, it will all come to a grinding halt. Therefore, we have to create capacity. We may not be experts in technology, but we should be able to make use of technology. This requires change management, a change in mindset and exposure to technology, so that we can

harness it and take advantage of it.

Unless we create enough capacity across the country, in all the sectors, we are not going to have sustainable development, or sustainable success in eGovernance. After all, ultimately who will deliver these services? Government employees and �� /�� process. Also we need pressure from citizens, who should demand these services. For this to happen, we need to create greater awareness about eGovernance among citizens.

What about using social media to build awareness both within government and beyond?We are creating a framework for the use of social media. Today, social media has emerged as a powerful tool and can be used to interact with citizens and make governance a little more participative. It has to be a two-way process. Using social media, we can get the ideas and suggestions of the citizens, incorporate them in our policies and programs, and go back again to the citizens. In this way it will become a continuous closed loop. �


“Unless we create enough capacity across the country, in all the sectors, we are not going to have sustainable development, or sustainable success in eGovernance. After all, ultimately who will deliver these services? Government �� process. Also we need pressure from citizens, who should demand these services. For this to happen, we need to create greater awareness about eGovernance among citizens.”

Tech Trends

Microsoft and its large community of partners, is working closely with governments across the

globe to transform them in the 2.0 world.

Tech Trends

ACHIEVING the goals of

citizen-centric governance


Tech Trends


overnments today are at the sharp end of public service

delivery. They have to be able to communicate with all citizens and businesses through a wide range of interactions. They need the ability to quickly deliver a range of low-cost services, while working within the constraints of budgets and the requirements of regional and national authorities.

Citizen and business interaction with government organizations can take many forms. On the one hand, there are those who expect real-time, Web-based communication. On the other hand, there are those less experienced with technology ��moved up the digital value chain. Government organizations therefore are focused on delivering centralized services through a wide range of methods—from phone and e-mail to automated voice response, wikis, and blogs, which are accessed by a cross-section of people.

As newer technologies are developed, citizens and businesses expect government to meet their expectations for increasingly sophisticated communication and service delivery. Government organizations are therefore changing and adapting their infrastructure to continue to deliver the level of service their constituents expect of them. And they are trying to do this as cost-effectively as possible.

Keeping these requirements in mind, Microsoft launched in 2008, a single foundational concept called the Citizen Service Platform (CSP), the goal of which was to converge services and information to better serve and engage citizens.

The CSP was essentially strategies meant to transform governments in the 2.0 world—transform their delivery of services through information and communication technology (ICT)—more quickly and cost-effectively. The CSP provided a blueprint for building and deploying connected systems on existing ICT investments and created the foundations for future development.

Changing dynamics between government and citizens Since the launch of the CSP, there has been a fundamental change in the dynamics between global government and citizens. This is particularly so in this new era of consumerization of IT, cloud computing and open data, where issues such as transparency and quality of service are under greater scrutiny than ever before.

Microsoft sees these issues as three dimensions of one theme—connection. Connecting government to citizens, connecting information to government workers, and connecting government agencies together, to achieve higher levels of service, ��$� �� $��this, and the next generation of citizens.

Connected citizens for greater service delivery and engagementThe explosion of smarter devices and pervasive Internet services has given many consumers new levels of access to information. These always-on, technology natives include a younger generation of tomorrow’s active citizens, who have high expectations of their government agencies, such as on-demand services with native integration to social media and smart devices. The appetite for government information is now so great that social tools and open data applications, such as those enabled by the Cloud, are often the only viable solution to provide these richer, and more personalized experiences, resulting in better served and more engaged citizens.

Another important consideration is social inclusion. By far, the poorest and most vulnerable groups are often the greatest users of government services. But these populations are the least-equipped to use technology. The ultimate goals of implementing technology solutions are to free more resources, help socially excluded groups, and to eliminate the digital divide.

Connected government workers enabled by a modernized workplace The advent of personal computing has had a disruptive effect on technology in the enterprise. Today, consumerization of IT is having the same effect on government agencies. The phrase “Employee-centric government” is now used to describe the challenge of integrating information around the government employee just as it is in the case for citizens. This involves not just connecting applications but also connecting knowledge, from data sharing to social connections, as agencies

G

As newer technologies are developed, citizens and businesses expect governments to meet their expectations for increasingly sophisticated communication and service delivery.

Tech Trends

take advantage of technologies that can help foster a culture change towards collective knowledge and expertise through empowerment.

Government workplace modernization is achieved through improved collaboration between professionals using tools like Sharepoint, mobile tools such as Windows Phone 7 and Voice over IP (VoIP) integration tools such as Microsoft Lync. These can enable professionals to roam more freely and still have information on hand. At the same time, tools such as Microsoft Biztalk Server and Microsoft Dynamics CRM can effectively connect applications together to provide workers with a better integrated desktop experience when using Line of Business Applications.

Connected information for greater transparency and accountabilityWhile providing technology that better supports citizens ��"�� forward, there still remains the challenge of how government can connect disparate sources of information. Governments have to better enable performance management and provide strategic insight internally, while at the same time, simultaneously providing information to external stakeholders for onward use and further exploitation. Traditionally, �� expensive processes to implement. But with the availability of business insight and cloud computing tools, agencies can now provide far greater insight to internal operations, and use open data tools such as SQL Azure to manage and disseminate public information, closing the transparency and accountability loop.

Taking cognizance of these requirements, and to help

governments overcome these challenges, Microsoft has evolved its Connected Government Framework (CGF), which takes the concept of the CSP and expands it to encompass not only citizen service but modernizing the government workplace and helping make the government more transparent and accountable to its constituents. This spans all delivery channels from on-premise to private Cloud, to community Clouds to the public Cloud. It is through this framework that Microsoft is developing solutions to help realize the goals of a truly connected government. Microsoft Connected Government helps governments improve service delivery and engagement, improve worker productivity, and increase performance management and transparency, all while managing costs.

People and processes Responding effectively to business challenges means that governments must have the capabilities to deliver change that is genuinely transformational, not incremental. And the keys to success in this effort are people and process changes. Microsoft, after conducting deep research into the trends affecting the future of work, believes that people are the most important asset in helping organizations to not only meet the challenges of the future but to take advantage of its opportunities. Technology can be an important enabler of

this empowerment, but only if accompanied by deep change at the process level. A people-ready organization ensures that investments in both its systems and people, support the goals of the organization.

For several years, Microsoft has partnered with government experts at CS Transform (an international consulting business which specializes in citizen-centric transformation of public services), to identify and promote best practices in delivering the people and process changes needed to ��"��$�can offer in the public sector.

Providing the building blocks—application capabilities and infrastructure Government organizations require application capabilities across many functional areas to reduce complexity and achieve cost savings. By implementing solutions with these capabilities, governments can break down organizational silos with one system that offers a single view of each customer. Strategic Microsoft products and a wide variety of specialized applications developed by Microsoft partners and based on these products, can broaden local government choice and speed return on investment.

Microsoft provides several capabilities that governments need to support process improvements and to address their

For several years, Microsoft has partnered with government experts at CS Transform to identify and promote best practices in delivering the people and �� technology can offer in the public sector.

nonoww prprovoviddee fafar grreaateterr ininsisighghtt pp


Tech Trends


key challenges. These include the following:

Citizen interaction capabilities Microsoft strategy is to deliver these capabilities built around core Microsoft technologies (such as SharePoint Server) in both its on-premise platform and Cloud-based services, delivering a choice of deployment options according to need. Sharepoint Service for instance, can hold and provision sensitive information, and combine it with Cloud-based source data to enable rich mashups. It enables personal citizen information to be seamlessly combined with Cloud-sourced data and services to enable a richer citizen experience—including service delivery, participation, use of open data, and social networking—to improve citizen

and government relationships. Case management usage Citizens today expect personalized online services. To meet these expectations, many government organizations are improving access to their services through intuitive Web portals and intelligent contact center and issue-management solutions.

Using a Web portal tightly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics can enable a single point of contact for a variety of government services: from claims processing, complaint management, and incident reporting to voter registration and �� 4�� _��$�� services using their PCs, PDAs, or phones

Collaborative workspaces Productivity suffers when workers have to constantly change applications and devices to get a job done. Effective collaborative technologies enable people to work purposefully toward a goal without unnecessary disruption. Microsoft provides a single, holistic work environment to enable purposeful and focused action. Staff can access line-of-business information from ��$��+��Z��documents. For example, property owners and their associated information can be pre-populated automatically into correspondence using information from permitting systems—without staff having to look it up manually.

Access to information and people With the complexity of government, the answers to citizen requests often require working with individuals across several organizations. With the rise in volume of available information across agencies and the increasing number of virtual teams, civil servants need a way to identify the right information and to connect to the right people at the right time.

Microsoft portal and content management solutions offer fast, centralized access to knowledge through a wide variety of content aggregation and content-surfacing capabilities. Workers can access critical information sources and get the data they need, when they need it. Using out-of-the- box capabilities, civil servants can identify their expertise, allowing others in the organization to quickly connect with them and answer requests in a timely manner. People-driven processes Citizens initiate requests through government portals, triggering

Tech Trends

��!� �� servants that a new request has been initiated. When the e-mail is opened within Microsoft Outlook, a customized set of menu options appears (depending on the type of request), allowing civil service staff to determine the most appropriate next steps for any given request. Microsoft brings business process automation to the desktop by connecting workers to line-of- business information through the familiar desktop applications they use every day. Integrating back-end systems and databases with familiar productivity tools enables workers to create and submit invoices, process orders, and �� streamlined manner.

GIS services GIS Services can help government organizations and agencies plan, predict, and respond quickly ��$�� constituent connections by presenting data in a rich, intuitive interface. Through the Bing® Maps location-based platform, these agencies can effectively analyze the overwhelming amount �� organizations daily, transforming data into intelligence.

Gov 2.0 Microsoft’s vision for Gov 2.0 is the open and transparent use of public information, improving the engagement needed to support citizen-centric services and drive real transformation.

%��integration to government customersA typical government consists of many heterogeneous systems that have been developed over time. It is not uncommon to have dozens of technology islands, such as traditional legacy systems, multiple instances of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems from different

vendors, and countless custom-built solutions. Governments also ��_��$��applications and services on a variety of platforms: on-premise, in the Cloud, and everywhere in between.

Integration of Enterprise Applications BizTalk Server is the cornerstone of the Microsoft enterprise integration offering, designed to maximize the value of line-of-business systems by integrating and automating business processes. It enables enterprises to � �� $� �� $�while minimizing operational costs. q�/ �"�8�� solution to address the business-to-business and RFID integration needs critical to gain a leading edge over the competition.

Integration of Cloud Applications Windows Azure AppFabric helps developers connect applications and services in the Cloud or on-premise. This includes applications running on Windows Azure, Windows Server®, and a number of other platforms, including Java, Ruby, and PHP.

Offering solutions to improve �� $��help governments improve IT �� $��and address carbon footprint and power consumption challenges. Microsoft offers Core Infrastructure Optimization solutions including Microsoft Cloud offerings, virtualization and systems management, automated deployment, enterprise identity management, and comprehensive information protection and access management, to help governments deal with these issues.

Government organizations can realize value, availability

and agility with Microsoft Virtualization Solutions from the desktop and data center to the Cloud. The physical and virtual assets can be managed with one suite of tools, from physical to virtual environments, and from hardware to applications. Public or private Cloud offerings may be employed to meet operational and environmental policy requirements.

Government services to citizens will continue to evolve, making eGovernance not just a destination, but a maturing of service delivery at the front end, with integration accompanying �� "��+��committed to responding to the challenges facing governments and enabling them to leverage their IT investments to create an environment that supports change. �


Microsoft and the Indian government'� *��

eGovernance space in India, Microsoft has been working closely with various departments of the Central and State Governments and Public Sector organizations for the last 17 years

'� �� 14 state governments, and there are more than 300 eGovernance applications running on the Windows platform

The National eGovernance Plan (NeGP), the core of the government’s eGovernance strategy, stresses on citizen services, as against merely computerization of its departments. The central and several state governments have been rolling out Mission Mode projects that are targeted at meeting the eGovernance goals ��$��3��\�

One such Mission Mode Project for state governments is e-District �� "�� internal processes of the district administration. e-District is also focused on seamlessly integrating various government departments for providing services to citizens.

Dealing with a range of government touch pointsThe government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP), like many peer states, decided to launch the e-District project, based on certain pressing factors. The government had a plethora of services it was providing to citizens, including utility services, water/electricity �� well as social security obligations such as dispensations to widows, the elderly and the disabled. In order to avail most of these services, citizens had to go to �� interact with several government ��

The state government felt that if these services were computerized, the processes improved and the touch points between the government and citizens reduced, the quality of services would also substantially improve.

“Take the instance of birth �� /��to eight touch points and typically three to four visits by citizens to ��?��

that if these could be provided through Citizen Service Centers, �� forms, make payments and track the service, their lives could be greatly eased,” says OSD IT, Anurag Shrivastava.

As part of the e-District project implementation, the empanelled consultant of the Department ��/��$��?��{��`��}�� $� �� "��assessment to understand the requirements of the citizens and business groups and then devised the overall strategy, designed ��services, re-engineered the existing delivery mechanism and suggested suitable solutions.

It was decided that the MP government would create an ��"��$��district administration and deliver �� services through Common Service Centers (CSCs), Samadhan Ek Din centers, MP-Online kiosks and the Internet, which would be the primary front-end channels. Five

districts, including Guna, Gwalior, Indore, Sagar and Shivpuri, were chosen to implement the pilot e-District project and provide integrated citizen-centric services in these areas.

Going with MicrosoftThe government of Madhya Pradesh chose Microsoft products to implement the e-District project. It deployed Visual Studio 2008 Basic Version, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Enterprise Server, +��Z��8� ��\��8��<767��+��Z��8��8��8$��4��4�� Manager 2007 Server, System Centre Management Suite 9�� ?��8��2008 R2 Enterprise Edition as part of the initiative.

X?��+�� /�� of ownership of the solution. The second was that the application was ready in many respects and only needed a little customization. The effort of doing this was much less as compared to other ��?�� Microsoft had demonstrated a

Case Study 1: Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh leverages Microsoft platform to roll out e-District program


fair degree of openness in data standards. The company was able to customize the solution without much problem and the coding and development too was minimal,” adds Shrivastava.

How e-District works in MPToday, owing to e-District, the citizens of Madhya Pradesh go to the CSC or Online kiosk and register themselves. Online kiosk owners, essentially agents authorized by the government, have been vested with some powers, and can make decisions regarding the issuing of certain �� ?� ��$��is take the applications of the citizens, and conduct a KYC (Know Your Citizens), to determine whether the persons are eligible for the service. The agents then pass on the application to the �! ��!�� eligible. The forms are then sent �� !�� $�for issue.

The government of MP currently ��"�� ]those that are delivered through the Online kiosks or the CSCs, and others that are given at ��*�� _ �� printed out on special stationery provided to authorized agents or kiosk owners, and even stamped ��$��In the case of a gun license, however, citizens have to go to �� process.

In order to further strengthen the

system and ensure that employees dutifully complete their tasks, the MP government has introduced a public service delivery guarantee �� of 26 services have to be provided within a stipulated time frame. If this does not happen, citizens �� "�� appeal and there is a penalty on those that have not provided the service. The penalty ranges from Rs. 500-Rs. 5,000 and this money is provided as compensation to the citizen and deducted from the salary of the concerned ��

%�#'#��The e-District project was rolled out in June 2011, and currently two services have been made available to citizens. These include the land records and income �� 9��$��"��the government plans to add at least two more services and birth �� _��for deployment. At the time of printing of Interface, these too would have been provided. Since the launch of e-District in MP, nearly 5,000 people have come to the Online kiosks and CSCs for their land record and income �� Z��6�777��requests have been processed.

Z��!`��program are clearly visible. To begin with, there is no generation or movement of paper documents. “There is no paper involved and documents and application requests travel seamlessly to the relevant people for actioning. ?�� "��q��

instance, typically need four to six ��8�� $�� 6=!67�people. By applying ICT, we have reduced the number of people �� $��three,” mentions Shrivastava.

Furthermore, the visits of citizens �� reduced. “The stress that people go through when standing in queues, in multiple departments, has been eliminated. The spending they incur on the process itself has also come down, as has the time taken to complete these tasks. They now get their work done at a CSC or Online kiosk located close to them, where they typically know the owner and receive personalized attention,” Shrivastava states.

The road aheadGoing forward, the e-District project in Madhya Pradesh will aim to continue to achieve some of the broader goals assigned to it. The state envisages meeting the following objectives with the implementation of e-District: '� 4�� /!

enabled delivery mechanism for citizen services, with information being delivered from the district administration ��

'� �� $� ��accountability in operations

'� ��"�� department personnel

'� ��$�� from damage from moisture and other climatic factors

'� 9��$� ��

'� > ��cases/appeals/grievances dissemination of information as per public requirements

'� \�� dissemination of information on Government schemes, planned developmental activities and status of current activities �

Case Study 1: Madhya Pradesh

The central and several state governments have been rolling out Mission Mode projects that are targeted at ��! �� %�!&�


This success story relates to the European Environment Agency (EEA), an executive agency of the European Union, that brings relevant and timely information on ��of citizens.

EEA was keen to use cutting-edge technology to make key information about water and air quality across Europe available to citizens, while giving them the tools to develop a more effective response to climate change. European citizens, sensitive and responsive about changes to their local environment, were escalating their demand for information, ��99*%��?��hosted its on-premise servers, to work nearly at capacity.

It was in 2009, that the EEA launched a pioneering application to make its environmental observatory accessible. Eye On Earth, the outcome of a long collaboration with Microsoft, was launched. The two-way communication platform gathers critical information from a variety

of sources in one place, and allows citizens to play a more active role in the exchange of information through EEA’s dynamic and user-��$�?��

/��9$��9 �� ? ��? ��instance, makes use of bathing water data from 22,000 sites that countries deliver in accordance with European legislation. In the past, this data was limited to expert �$��?��9$��Z��9 �� "� �� on water quality, and contribute their own rating of that location. ?��? ��? �� launched, EEA had an initial 65,000 people out of several 100,000 visitors contacting the site to interact with and record data about their local water resources.

Rather than stop there, the EEA sought to include air quality information in the application, to provide information to people suffering from breathing disorders. *�? �� 9�� *�� $��_��provided by scientists.

*��? ��? ��%�inputs form a large part of the *�? ��9 �$!��!�� help individuals to report their perception of air quality in a particular location and the results �� $�� data on the site.

Keeping an eye from the CloudEye On Earth is supported by the Cloud services operating �$��?��*��works seamlessly with the existing infrastructure, and helps developers quickly deploy new features. The service-based architecture and Cloud operating system provide the same level of reliability as an enterprise data center, but offer greater agility, ensuring it can very quickly scale to meet rapid growth in data and �� /�� "��?��*��the ideal technology for the Eye On Earth application. According to EEA sources, the organization chose ?��*�� _��$�� $��technical solutions available, and enabled it to respond to large scale peaks in demand.

Microsoft’s pioneering online tools enable citizens to participate in EEA’s revolutionary environmental initiatives

Case Study 2: EEA


Additionally, Bing Maps for Enterprises provides high-resolution satellite images and aerial photography across Europe and beyond, and since it is customizable, the agency can incorporate its environmental data into the mapping technology with ease.

` � ��+��8��*��] �4��!� �� service built on Microsoft 8��8�� ]��$��/��powerful database supports rapid retrieval of information, making it possible for Eye On Earth to process and deliver data in real time. In addition, the Microsoft Silverlight 3 browser plug-in delivers a seamless media experience, providing users with highly interactive features and Deep Zoom functionality.

In addition, a short message ��{8+8}� �� ] ��q��_]� �� into the system to support access information on mobile devices. The addition of the SMS aggregator enables greater mobile use of Eye On Earth and provides citizens with immediate feedback by way of text messages about factors such as air and water quality. As well as receiving information by SMS, mobile phone users are able to query current environmental data readings, such as air quality, for a desired location.

*�� Encouraging citizen participation: ?��9$��Z��9 ��99*��the most advanced environmental modelling to citizens across Europe, and encourages them to participate. The data is made available to other interested � �� control, tourism, or healthcare �$��]�� and citizens work together to address climate change, using data that has never before been available on such a scale.

Providing feature rich environment to increase citizen involvement: In the case of Eye On Earth, when a location is entered on the screen, the application recognizes not just any city or town within the 32 �� map locations, such as streets and buildings. In an instant, the application can zoom in to an aerial image of a location and show its �� $��

Another feature captures feedback history and displays information in the form of coloured markers on the map. Users can also see all the *�? �� ? ��? �� ]zoom in to a close-up image of a building. If the individual rates the air quality of that location, he or she can see the system instantly update itself with the new information.

EEA has additionally integrated instant connectivity to social networking sites, such as Facebook, /�� ?��8� ��

Helping citizens make better choices: By providing the public with such local and timely information, the EEA believes that it will help citizens make decisions that can improve their lives. Those with health issues can choose appropriate holiday destinations, or even use the data to raise awareness of conditions in their communities.

Agile technology helps organizations manage application use: The services-based model and Cloud operating system help EEA minimise infrastructure

overheads. They offer a more Agile environment that has helped the �� $�? ��? �� *�? �� months.

The needs of Eye On Earth users vary throughout the year, and, consequently, load patterns �� ?��*��the organisation manage that �� $��and service managers the ability to scale up and down seamlessly without complex operational ��/��_��?��Azure pay-as-you-go model also helps the EEA to save money by paying only for capacity that’s used.

And, by taking advantage of Microsoft data centers to house data from the EEA in the Cloud, ?��*�� need for investment in hardware and computers that would otherwise remain idle. Cloud computing ensures that EEA is more adaptable. This is a welcome departure from the often restrictive server framework and the costs and resources associated with keeping it running seven days a week. Z��?��*��99*� ��_�� number of users.

Environmentally focused partnerships strengthen vision: ?��"��+��8��the EEA has delivered an innovative �� "�$� ��$��?��+��99*�has positioned itself as a more innovative public service, making a positive difference at a time of climate change. �

'��(��'�� )#� ��*�� +�� -�� /�� 3��

Case Study 2: EEA


The City of Carlsbad, located on the southern California coast was incorporated in 1952 and serves more than 107,000 residents living in an area of 42 square miles. The city provides the full range of services associated with a municipal government, including police, �� "�� planning, building, water, sewer, and maintenance services with an annual general fund revenue of approximately USD 120 million.

The city’s IT department maintains the information systems and services required by 1,100 employees, who work in 22 departments spread across 30 different locations. It provides a high level of service to its internal customers, ensuring that they have the information they need, when they need it, to work productively.

A key aim of the department is also to reduce its overall budget, and cut costs, a task that was �� heterogeneous IT infrastructure. In order to overcome this challenge, the IT staff decided to standardize the entire city’s infrastructure on Microsoft® technologies.

Replacing an aging e-mail solutionAs part of this strategy, the IT department decided to replace its existing collaboration solution, as it did not see any functions or fea-tures that would justify maintaining a separate messaging platform. At the same time, the organization be-lieved that Microsoft was uniquely positioned to provide enterprise-wide communication and collabo-ration tools that were familiar and easy-to-use.

The city worked with Gartner to help it understand the value, ��$�� $�� of going with a hosted solution from Microsoft, and learnt that hosting was a viable option.

Moving with MicrosoftThe City of Carlsbad chose the Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite to provide a hosted messaging and collaboration solution.

For a low per-user, per-month subscription fee, the suite offers hosted communication and collaboration services that include desktop and mobile e-mail, calendaring and contacts, instant messaging and presence, shared workspaces, and live audio-visual ?��

Through the Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, city employees gain access to Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint® Online, Microsoft Z��+�� +��Z��4�� Z��] ��of which are hosted by Microsoft.

%�#'#��By using the Microsoft solution, the city of Carlsbad is now ��_��$�in resource allocation, reduced costs, accelerated deployment, and improved employee productivity.

Microsoft Online Services provides the city with a valuable opportunity �� resources where they will generate the greatest return on investment. Microsoft’s Online Services solution takes care of the city’s commodity communication and collaboration

services, so it can focus its resources on value-add services for Carlsbad employees and citizens.

Reducing costsAfter deploying the services included in the Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, the city has seen a drop in IT costs on a number of fronts. There were immediate cost savings from not having to purchase any hardware or to train staff to support the new e-mail and collaboration services, as well as ongoing cost savings in server administration, software upgrades, and hardware replacements.

Not only did the city reduce �� IT budgeting. The Business Productivity Online Standard Suite requires only a monthly subscription fee, so the city could treat that as an operational expense, which was easier for management to track.

Improving productivity?��+��Z��8��and the Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, the city’s IT department now offers an integrated suite of productivity services that introduces online collaboration, instant messaging, and more to the workforce for the ��

?��+��Z��8��city is achieving its goal of doing more with less. The suite reduces IT costs while delivering more services than it could provide on its own. �

For more information about City of 4 �� ?�� ~�www.carlsbadca.gov

City of Carlsbad uses Microsoft’s Online Services, to realize 40 percent annual savings

Case Study 3: Carlsbad


Global Outlook


A global survey of city Websites � ��8��8�� !� �"��$�� /�� $�was conducted jointly by and the �� !\��$�� 8��"$��"� ��;��$�{8��;}��

The survey evaluated websites �� $�� $�� "�� 4�!��$��;3�`��\��*�� `��+ � �� *�� 8��$��\��*�� $�� ~�8��\� ��^��3��¡��"� ��8��

8�� "�� <77��<77¢� ��<77��$��*�� 8�� !�� $�� !�� $��/�� $�� 8�� "�� $��

/��$��\� �� "��

�� \� �� "�� $�and second in the categories of �� $� �� \� �� usability of websites �� $��$��%��interacting and transacting with ��/��of Prague also offers users with �� "��

*�� the world increasingly offer �� $�� ;��8� ��Z��$� �� $�� /��!8��;��$��<77�� <77¢� ��<77�� $��/��$��$�� $��\�� _��$�� $��[=��

�� ~�� $�� $�� 9� �� $%�� _ �� $��$�highlights the strengths and �� "�� "�� $�

>��$�� ~��~��!�� <767�7��! ��!�� ! �!<7677�6�

Top 10 Cities in eGovernment Worldwide - 2009

Rank City Score

6� 8�� =��

<� \� �� <�=�

�� ^�� <�=�

�� 3��¡��"� �6�67

¢� 8�� ¢=�=6

�� 8� �� ¢��6

�� + �� ¢¢�¢[

=�� ¢¢��=

[� *�"� �� ¢¢�<=

10 Toronto � ¢<�=�

Seoul and Prague are top rankers in eGovernment Web portal excellence

The survey evaluated websites of municipalities worldwide in terms of privacy, usability, content, service, and citizen participation and ranked the cities on a global scale.

Global Outlook


/��;��3 ��8��$�<767�� !��$�� $� �� result of increasing use by the �� $��+�� $��$�� *�� $��need to devote additional energy

UN survey lists the top 20 countries in eGovernance

to transactional services as well as �� !� "��

Global eGovernment development*��;3��$��!��$�� "��_��<767� ��$� ��*��<767�;��3 ��8��$�� {7�=�=¢}��$��;��8� ��{7�=¢67}��4 � � �{7�=��=}��;��{7�=6��}� ��3�� {7�=7[�}�

9��{7��<<�}� ��*�� {7��[7}�� {7��7�}��*� �{7��<�}�� *�� {7�<��}� ��Z� � �{7��6[�}�� /�� $��<7�� "��!��$��

Rank Country eGovernance development index value

��6�� 7�=�=¢

��<��;��8� �� 7�=¢67

��4 � � �� 7�=��=

��;�� 7�=6��

��¢��3�� 7�=7[�

��3�� $�� 7�=7<7

��`�� "�� 7��=�<

��=��*�� 7��=��

��[��8� �� 7��¢6�

��67�>� �� 7��¢67

��66�8�� 7��

��6<�8�� 7��

��6��q �� 7��

��6��3�� 7��66

��6¢�� $�� 7��7[

��6��q�� 7��<<¢

��6��# � �� 7��6¢<

��6=�8�� 7��6��

��6[�>�� 7��[��

��<7�9�� 7��[�¢

� �� `�� distinct advantage in achieving �� "��$�� nearly two-thirds of the weight ��_�� !��>�� challenge is to invest in all three ��£�� £��

+��$��an affordable tool to fill in the �� 9�� $�� $� �� $�� ?�� $� ��$�� "��"��$�� outlets to increase access to the ��/��$� �� $� �� /�� $��"��

The 2010 survey recorded an �� $�� 8+8�� !�� +��8� ��

News


Aiming to provide Indian businesses easy access to cost-effective business productivity solutions on the Cloud, Microsoft has launched Z��¢�� 4�� can use the software at prices that begin at USD 2 per user per month, {�_�� _��}��/��move will allow Indian companies, especially Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and enterprise customers to access Microsoft’s popular e-mail, collaboration, conferencing and productivity � ��

Customers can access the entire Z��¢��$��~��!��¢��!�� aspx and pay a use-based monthly subscription fee, and thus manage their IT needs ��$�{�� _}�� Since the announcement, and in

��¢�� $�� 6<�777�organizations, have signed up ��Z��¢�� $�over 200,000 customers have signed up, creating one of Microsoft’s largest beta programs ��>��ever, customers can also avail of +��Z��%��popular productivity offering, on �� 4��

This launch is part of Microsoft’s comprehensive Cloud Services 8�� $��*�� +��%��on premise enterprise solutions are already on the Cloud, and the � ��Z��¢�� "��_��/�� $�+��%��customers can choose to deploy either Cloud-based or on-premise solutions, or both, depending on their need, and in turn experience ��_��$� ��needed to drive higher business ��$��

4�� "��purchases will be billed directly from Microsoft Regional

Office 365 launched in India

CUSTOMER SPEAK:

“As a customer and early adopter of Microsoft Cloud services, we have �_��!� ��business advantage of using enterprise-class solutions in a Cloud-based ��?��*4+9�� steady expansion mode, the support offered by +��Z��¢�� "��productivity in the Cloud experience to a whole new level altogether and we are genuinely excited at this opportunity and the resultant business gains it ��Y—Satyadev Adurti, Vice President �/��*4+9�/��\��

�� '� Z��¢��

�� " ��%�depending on the size and need of the customer ��

'� /��Z��¢�� 8� ��Businesses is optimized �� <¢�users or less, and delivers a full range of productivity, communications and collaboration capabilities to ��

'� *�� _� ��$�;8`��user per month, this plan ��Z��?��*��Exchange Online, SharePoint Z�� $��Z��

'� >�� Z��¢�plans to address different �� /�� start for as little as USD 2 for basic e-mail to USD 27 per ��

'� /��advanced versions of Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Lync Online as well as an option to get the full ��Z��\�� \��"�� Z��?��*��

CUSTOMER SPEAK

“There were many reasons why we we’ve decided to go with Microsoft’s cloud ��?��for us, the real clincher was the cost effectiveness and easy and smooth � �� $��/��security, reliability, and control that Microsoft offers on the cloud has �� _�� Y]*�� 4�Z�� Dabur (India)

8 ��8�� *��to Microsoft’s long range estimates, a typical 1,000 person organization can cut IT costs by �� ;8`��¢7�777��$� ��$��4��/��based on a long range estimate over six years for BPOS, and while results vary, customers consistently report between 67!¢7�� +��_�� Z��¢��$��%��_��

Quick Facts

Microsoft and Anna University have signed an MoU to launch the I-8� �"�� /��$��/ ��3 ��!8� �"�program which is aimed at driving innovation and entrepreneurship ��/�� is an attempt to bridge the gap between industry needs and student readiness by accelerating adoption of technology which strengthens IT competencies among students and creates better employment ��8�� ¢7�777��<¢��

/��!8� �"�� ‘Innovation Platform,’ that acts as a ‘hub for collaboration’ among colleges, universities, government/quasi-government bodies, industry

�� inclusive platform that is created to facilitate growth of the local �� $��$��

Microsoft supports aspiring entrepreneurs at every crucial stage of their lifecycles, through:DreamSpark, a program which provides developer tools to students �� Z��students have already gained access to the latest Microsoft tools in India ��WebsiteSpark, a program that gives web designers and developers a jump-start by providing the tools and resources needed to build great websites, ��BizSpark, a program designed to accelerate the success of IT entrepreneurs through software

Sparks of Innovation light up Anna University� �� !��"!��#��$�� !� � ��!� �%&%%%�� ' � � �'�� !��#��$��

Microsoft’s technologies for the language spaceOver the years, Microsoft has announced a spate of technologies in Indian languages, including the following:'� /�� "�$��

�� _�� $� ��"�$'� � �� \ "�{��\}�� '� *� � ��$��?�� !� ��

Instant Messenger, personal home page and more in Indian languages

'� /��4 �� \ "�{��4��\}�� uses a tooltip caption to display local language translations, �� $��^��+ � $ � ��Z�$ � ��/ ��interface items in Visual Studio 2008 and 2010

Microsoft Corporation India has announced the availability of ��9_��[��¢�� languages, including 11 Indian �� $��*�� q�� " ��+ � $ � ��Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil and /��?�� audience base will have access to Internet Explorer 9 in their native � �� 4�� download Internet Explorer 9 in a language of their choice by visiting ��!US/internet-explorer/downloads/�![��!� ��

The availability of Internet Explorer 9 in Indian regional languages is part of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to promote local language computing in India, ��$�� "��/�� +�� "��language computing in India

��8�� 6�77�� startups have been provided professional software at no chargeBizSpark One, an invite only program, aimed at accelerating the growth of select high potential startups through a one-to-one relationship with Microsoft and a global community of advisors, �� BizSpark Startup Challenge 2011, a unique contest for start-�� to showcase their innovative �� "��and mentorship from top investors ��+��/��were recently rewarded with a �� ;8`��7�777�� !8� �"�� $��initiatives, similarly aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship in �� "��

Internet Explorer now available in 53 additional languages��6[[=�� visit of Microsoft Chairman Bill � ��/�� the IT revolution in the country in a phased manner and localization � �� "�$� � �$��<77��+�� Project Bhasha, a cohesive effort

��the academia and the research institutions, the local ISVs and developers and the industry associations on a common ground for promoting local language usage ��/��/�� portal is India’s leading community ��

News


Documents

IN-FOCUS · and eGovernance” by Imaginea Inc., (a business unit of Pramati Technologies that provides product engineering services to ISVs, enterprises and SaaS businesses) states