E-governance from Different Literature (PDF)

**E-governance from different literature** **(Fetiya A. and shemsedin J.)** The emergence of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has provided means for faster and better communication, efficient storage, retrieval and processing of data and exchange and utilization of information to it...

**E-governance from different literature** **(Fetiya A. and shemsedin J.)** The emergence of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has provided means for faster and better communication, efficient storage, retrieval and processing of data and exchange and utilization of information to its users. E-governance is the logical next step in the use of ICT in systems of governance in order to ensure wider participation and deeper involvement of citizens (Abdul Salam, 2013). 1. **Definition of E- Governance** Different scholars have been given different definition for e-governance. Some of those definitions will be presented in here. According to UNESCO as cited by (Codrin Teiu, 2011) *"E-governance (electronic governance) is the public sectors use of information and communication technologies with the aim of improving information and service delivery, encouraging citizen participation in the decision-making process and making government more accountable, transparent and effective*. E- governance is taken to mean *\'the application of information & communication technologies to transform the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of informational & transactional exchanges with in government, between government & government, agencies of National, State, Municipal & Local levels, citizen & businesses, and to empower citizens through access & use of information* (Yadav, 2009). "*The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to assist democratic processes, public services, government administration, and interactions between the state, the private sector, civil society, and citizens is known as e-governance* (Dawes, 2008). e-Government refers *to the use by government agencies of information technology(such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) that have the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government in the sense of offering better delivery, improving interactions, increase efficiency* (Codrin Teiu, 2011)*.* 2. **Emergence of E-Governance** It is widely acknowledged that the emergence of the e-government discipline has been due to the requirement of developing local and national government operational and process efficiencies, as well as providing accessibility to citizens and other involved stakeholders. Like many other ideas that have arisen during the emerging stages of the internet age, e-government is a concept that is seemingly in a constant state of development(Abraham, 2018). Even though historical it was Chile which implemented real e-governance solution as early as the seventies, the current interest and attention on e-governance applications all over the world has its roots in the'' information super high way ''concept initiated by US vice president Albert Arnold Gore in early 1990s. Many nations, like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and India, characterized the information super way primarily in terms of the national information structure. Generally speaking, during the 1980s and 1990s, governments everywhere fell behind the private sector in adopting and using information and communication technology (Prabhu, 2004). (Heeks, 2001) highlights that the electronic government phrases first became eminent while undertaking the 1993 United States (US) National Performance Review and the e-government expression gradually propagated from 1997. The efforts for e-governance have started since the last decade and have gathered momentum in the last few years. Government is trying to project itself as a facilitator of business and not as a regulator. This is bringing about a change in rules and regulations, organizational restructuring and a change in the manner in which government officials deal with the public. Additionally, since people are no longer on the streets in protest of computerization, disinvestment, and the elimination of tax barriers, e-governance has gained acceptance. An analogous strategy is needed for e-governance. There are five distinct phases in the evolution of e-governance (Barthwal, 2003). Stage 1: Emerging Web Presence A country has formal but limited web presence through a single or a few independent government websites that generally serve as public information sources. Users can access static data about the government, including its ministries, agencies, elected politicians, etc., via these websites. Contact details are presented, including locations, phone numbers, business hours, and calendars. There are other frequently asked questions available. Stage 2: Enhanced Web Presence As more people have access to dynamic, specialized, and frequently updated information, a nation\'s online presence grows through increasing number of websites. An official national government website or homepage may serve as an entry point linking users to other branches, ministries, departments, and sub-national government sites. Official government publications, legislation, news-letters and other useful documents can be downloaded or ordered online. Search features, e-mail and areas for posting comments are accessible. Stage 3: Interactive Web Presence A country\'s presence on the internet expands dramatically with an increase in the number of official websites providing access to a broad range of government institutions and the services they provide. A national government website frequently acts as a portal directly linking users with ministries, departments and agencies. Formal interactions between citizens and service-providers take place on a more sophisticated level allowing users to directly access information based on their interests and needs. Users can search specialized databases: download forms and applications or submit them online; make appointments with officials; participate in online town-hall meetings. Secure sites and user passwords begin to emerge. Stage 4: Transactional Web Presence Users will have the ability to conduct complete and secure transactions online like obtaining visas, passports, birth and death records, licences, permits or specialized government services. A single national government website will allow the user to customize a secure, one-stop-shop portal that would enable direct access to most government services. Such portals will allow direct access to services based on a user\'s specific need and priorities rather than by the functions of a department or agency. Sites will ultimately be secure making it possible for citizens to safely file and pay taxes online, pay parking fines online, automobile fees, utility bills. Digital signatures will be recognized. Stage 5: Seamless or Fully Integrated Web Presence Country provides all services and links through a one-stop-shop portal. By clicking on the national government\'s official site, users will have the ability to instantly access any service made available in a quantified package. Ministerial/ departmental/agency lines of demarcation are blurred in cyberspace. Governments will cluster services along common needs through one universal portal. 3. **Domains of E-governance** E-governance facilitated by the creative use of ICT has the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and various arms of government. (Heeks, 2001) identified three main domains of e-governance - E-administration: improving government processes - E-services: connecting individual citizens with their government - E-society: building interactions with and within the civil society The main purpose of the e-administration is to improve the internal workings of the public sector by cutting process costs, managing process performance, creating strategic connections within government bodies. E-service efforts primarily aim to enhance the citizen-government relationship by augmenting the flow of information and elevating the quality of services provided by the government to its citizens. By concentrating on institutional stakeholders including private sector service providers, other public agencies, and not-for-profit and community organizations, e-society projects expand on the prior e-services area. The three e-governance domains are rarely implemented separately; instead, they include overlapping tasks that are a component of the same project (Heeks, 2001). 4. **Interaction in E-governance** (Backus, 2001) pointed out that e-governance aims to enable the interaction between government and citizens (G2C), improve inter-agency relationships (G2G), and establish efficient relationship between the government and business enterprises (G2B), have shown in next outline. Figure 2.1 Interactions between main groups in e-groups **G2G** (Government to Government): Information and Interactions Technology is utilized to improve the flow of information and services between various government agencies as well as to reorganize the governmental procedures necessary for those agencies to operate. Increasing productivity, performance, and efficiency is the main goal. **G2C** (Government to Citizens): The establishment of an interface between the government and the populace allows the latter to take advantage of the effective provision of public services. This raises the caliber of public services while increasing their accessibility and availability. The principal aim is to render the government more amiable to citizens. **G2B** (Government to Business): Here, the business community service and product providers is helped by e-governance systems to communicate with the government more easily. The goal is to decrease bureaucracy, save time, save operating expenses, and improve transparency in the corporate environment while doing business with the government. 1. **Issues in E-Governance Application** According to (Prabhu, 2004) The public is first given access to information services via State websites by government departments as part of the e-governance initiative. These websites offer details about the department in question, including its goals and objectives. Opportunities for citizens, organizational information, accessible facilities, and public services offered, fees associated with them, etc. But as IT becomes more and more integrated into the company, government department websites try to offer more sophisticated services like dynamic information and tailored transactions like paying utility bills. Public-government e-interaction gradually brings about organizational change and more openness in public services. Quicker service delivery, more people participating in the government, and more support for participatory democracy. In an ideal world, public organizations like departments of government and public sector projects would perform better and be better able to communicate with the public and offer services online as they start putting e-governance and e-government ideas into practice. As a result, citizens have access to official government documents, can file taxes, pay utility bills, obtain or renew various licenses and permits, book and reserve public services, file complaints or applications for various benefits, and even apply for jobs.In addition, as the e-governance makes Internet as the primary access point for all citizens to interact with the government, the issues that need to be focused are: - How will the performance of the government departments/public bodies be improved by e-governance initiatives? - What are the organizational effects of e-government and IT? - What are the correct strategies for success in e-governance projects? - What are the skills that are required by the government employees in an e-governance environment in the Information Age? (Codrin Teiu, 2011) identified best practices for successful local government. These practices are described below a. Evaluate whether to offer e-government or not - Have a strategic way of thinking when addressing the e-government topic - Find the services that are suitable for online delivery; - Assess the government's readiness for e-government; - Involve all of the participant departments and superior management and officials; - Try to assess participation (does the public has internet access?) to see if the public can be engaged in this initiative. b. Evaluate any collaboration opportunities - While planning evaluate other similar initiatives; - Join intergovernmental networks of e-government professionals; - Explore partnership with other public or private agencies. c. Prepare for execution and funding Make plans on implementing e-government; - Identify the needed funds, people and hardware &software; - Analyse the full costs (there may be hidden costs); - Develop a funding strategy. d. Provide security - Decide on the security and monitoring software; - Install security and monitoring software; - Develop procedures for incident response and disaster recovery; - Manage access to data. e. Set a policy framework to guide e-government - State the purpose if your e-government website; - Establish policies on public access to online data records and set a data archiving policy; - Establish privacy policy; - Determine marketing strategy; - Review and update e-government policies f. Make the website function optimally - Check national governmental recommendations for e-government website compliance; - Design the website with ease of use in mind while remembering your objectives; - Follow industry guidelines for websites development and content; - Always test locally or a small user group before releasing to the main public; - Plan for ongoing site maintenance. - Promote your website to the potential users; g. Evaluate how the website is meeting e-government goals; - Determine participation a plan on improving it if it‟s not meeting expectations; - Obtain feedback from users and from the e-government community; - Revise the website based on evaluation results and other feedback. 2. **The Potentials Reasons to Undertake E-governance Initiatives** The limitations of traditional public administration have forced to undertake recent initiatives for providing time bound, quick and pro-people services. A public service is must be effective for its customer in terms of values, outputs where the satisfaction is a main concern that depends on a number of dimensions, such as service quality, speed, timing, availability of resources, human interaction and relation etc. Academics and researchers found that services are associated with many things combining direct and indirect costs for delay and uncertainty, lack of transparency, corruption, involvement of third party, mistrust or ill-treatment by the officials, productivity of the citizen and business procedures, travelling cost for staying around office to get the jobs done. These are issue of traditional public administration, particularly centralized bureaucratic system where everything based in the capital and citizens have to suffer a lot. The paper based bureaucratic procedures have also created multi-dimensional obstacles in getting public services. Because these negative aspects of traditional public administration new paradigm of public administration emerged as the e-governance paradigm changing in many areas (Ndou, 2004). Table 2.1 Paradigm shift of Public Administration and Change Patterns in Service Delivery Aspects Bureaucratic Paradigm E-Government Paradigm -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Orientation Production cost-efficiency User satisfaction and control, flexibility Process Organization Functional rationality, departmentalization, vertical hierarchy of control Horizontal hierarchy, network organization, information sharing Management Principle Management by rule and mandate Flexible management, interdepartmental team work with central coordination Leadership Style Command and control Facilitation and coordination, innovative entrepreneurship Internal Communication Top down, Hierarchical Multidirectional network with central coordination, direct communication External Communication Centralized, formal, limited channels Formal and informal direct and fast feedback, multiple channels Mode of Service Delivery Documentary mode and interpersonal interaction Electronic exchange, non-face to face interaction Principles of Service Delivery Standardization, impartiality, equity User customization, personalization Sources: (Ndou, 2004) In the traditional model of public service delivery, the procedures are long, time consuming and lack transparency. A business that wishes to obtain a license or a permit has to fill out a number of application forms, has to visit a number of different offices and spend a considerable amount of time. If a citizen wishes to be issued with a certificate or any other official document, he or she will have to travel to the central government office, go to different offices and spend a lot of time for a simple service. The consequences are high costs and citizen and business dissatisfaction. An e-government initiative, on the other hand, which puts government services online, thereby reducing the bureaucracy, offers round the clock accessibility, fast and convenient transactions, and obviously enhances the quality of services, in terms of time, content and accessibility(Codrin Teiu, 2011). 3. **Objectives and Benefits of Implementing E-Governance for Public Services Delivery** 5. **Objectives of Implementing E -Governance** (Dawes, 2008) asserted that e-governance can be examined in terms of five interrelated objectives: A policy framework Information: related statutes and policies are the essential legitimizing foundation for e-governance. They set policy goals and specify the rules and conditions under which information is gathered, used, protected, and shared by government, individuals, and the private sector to achieve them. Enhanced public services: E-governance goals for service enhancements embrace a common- sense approach that replaces an organizational perspective with a customer orientation, providing access, convenience, and choice to citizens and businesses seeking information or services from government. High quality and cost-effective government operations: A wide array of managerial, professional, and technical improvement goals address not only efficiency but also infrastructure investments, information management and use, organizational innovation, risk management, procurement reform, workforce capabilities, and performance assessment. Citizen Engagement in democratic processes: Often called "e-participation," engagement covers the spectrum democratic processes. It includes accessibility and usability of technologies and information content, public interaction with government, public discourse on political topics, and public consultation, or the processes of engaging people in the agenda-setting process. Administrative and institutional reform: With an emphasis on accountability, transparency, and trust, reform pertains to the structures and processes of government as well as to the roles and responsibilities government delegates to the private and nonprofit sectors for carrying out public functions. Reform also addresses the culture of government and the way the public service perceives its role with respect to governance, citizens, and society. The objective of e-governance is to support and simplify governance for all parties -- government, citizens, businesses, and employees. Two major objectives of e-governance are "service to the public sector" and "efficient government." The "service to the public" fulfills the public's needs and expectations satisfactorily on the front-office side, by simplifying their interactions with various online services. The other objective "efficient government" helps for government operations to facilitate a speedy, transparent, accountable, efficient, and effective process for performing government administration activities. Significant cost savings (per transaction) in government operations can be the result Strategies in implementing e-governance for services delivery (Dhakal, 2013). 6. **Benefits of Implementing E -Governance in Public Services Delivery** E-governance has the potential to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction(NAZ, 2009). Inform the citizens about the issues, political process, availability of services and the attendant choices. All these increase the transparency and accountability, second important is that it improves the service delivery system. This is because it believes in quick service without the loss of time- in fact time is now a conquered thing. This also again increases the efficiency of public service. Third, it believes in increased participation of larger segments of the population in the decision making. In other words, it helps in creating a space for substantive or effective democracy. Fourth, it helps in the creation of vast knowledge over different social systems, community life, agrarian society, urban categories, etc. All these things are made available without the loss of time. This would help in the further efficiency of the public delivery system as well as it helps in solving the problems by the state much easier. Finally its nature is also to bring in large number of hitherto retrenched social categories or different social groups into the mainstream of governance sphere who otherwise would have remained excluded such as poor, the disabled, illiterate, women, indigenous population, workers, displaced etc. Their participation would help in the expansion of the spaces of democracy but also strengthen the democracy in different parts of the world (Assadi, 2006). E-governance can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government's service delivery systems. It will bring transparency in government operations and government-public interface. Use of ICT in the government offices will bring transparency in the activities of different government operations by enabling everyone to see what is happening in other agencies. At the same time it will also create a bridge between the government and the public for the basic information access and interchange. Government could disseminate information to the public as well as gather information by setting up information kiosks at different public places. It will reduce corruption in the different agencies of the government (Chowdhury & Satter, 2013). Finding of different study show that e- governance implementation has benefit in public services delivery. Among these studies some of them were mentioned here. (Dawes, 2008) examined the evolution of e-governance in terms of five interrelated objectives: a policy framework, enhanced public services, high-quality and cost-effective government operations, citizen engagement in democratic processes, and administrative and institutional reform. The assessment of e-governance in U.S. states and local government's shows that the greatest investment and progress have been made in enhanced public services and improved government operations. A study by (Abasilim et al., 2017) examine the possible ways through which public service delivery could be better achieved other than the present traditional public administrative system inherited from the colonial government. Through the ex-post facto research design and analysis, the paper revealed that for the public sector to achieve better service delivery there is need to consider the adoption of e-governance. However, for e-governance to achieve its goal of better service delivery in the country there would be need to address all that could serve as impediment to its effective implementation in Nigeria. A study by (Worku, 2016) explored that; successful E-government implementation has very positive effects on improving public service qualities and promoting good governance in public sectors. 4. **Challenges in Implementing E-Governance in Public Services** (Yadav, 2009) stated that if one were to work closely with a variety of government and commercial concerns, the continuing trends in the field of e-governance although lots of efforts have been made in creation and infrastructure and information handling by government bodies as well as public services. The diffusion of technology in moving of towards e-governance has been rather slow. This may be attributed primary by the following reasons: - Lack of IT Literacy and awareness regarding benefits of e-governance - Underutilization of existing ICT infrastructure - Attitude of Government Departments - Lack of coordination between Government, Department and Solution developer - Resistance to re-engineering of departmental processes - Lack of Infrastructure for sustaining e-governance United Nations-Division for Public Economics and Public Administration and American Society for Public Administration \[UN-DPEPA and ASPA\] (2002) outline that lack of qualifications, inadequate human training, infrastructure cost, lack of resources, absence of innovative incentives in the public sector, cultural constraints, organizational constraints, resistance to share information, lack of policies and guidelines, lack of IT management, lack of leadership support, outdated legal frameworks, misuse of information, poor coordination and planning, lack of continuity and comprehensiveness in addition to management expectations vs management realities are all hindrances against e-government improvement in developing countries (Khasawneh-Jalghoum, 2011). Another study conducted by (Ndou, 2004) points out seven major challenges that block the development of e-government upon analyzing the e-government programs in nine different developing countries (China, India, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Philippines, Guatemala and Jamaica). First, ICT infrastructure and digital divide (lack of telecommunications, lack of computer equipment's, lack of e-readiness, lack of technology literacy). Second, policy issues (security and privacy as well as lack of approved policies and rules that support the online transactions). Third, human capital development and lifelong learning (lack of skills and qualified employees in the public sector as well as lack of adequate human resources training). Fourth, change management (resistance to change and lack of organizational culture). Fifth, partnership and collaboration (lack of partnership amongst government agencies and with the private sector). Sixth, lack of strategy or lack of clear vision, mission, strategy and long term objectives). Seventh, lack of leadership role or lack of leadership support and involvement). According to (Abasilim & Edet, 2015) e-governance implementation in the Nigerian public service is accompanied with many challenges. According to Abdel-Fattah and Galal-Edeen (2008), the major challenge of e-governance in the Nigerian public service is lack of trained and qualified personnel to handle and operate its infrastructures. They further state that due to the high cost associated with the procurement and training of public servants with ICT skills, government sometimes feel reluctant in the actual implementation of e-governance in the public service. 5. **Strategies in Implementing E-Governance For public services delivery** E-Governance lies at the heart of two global shifts: the information revolution and the governance revolution. Both shifts are changing the way society works and the way that society is governed. They bring the opportunity for not just incremental but radical gains in efficiency and effectiveness. But, at present, any such benefits are accruing to the few, not the many. It is the few who have access to ICTs, to digital information and knowledge, and to the benefits of reform in governance. So... what must be done? In short, there must be both a strategic and a tactical response that attacks the current challenges to e-governance for development hard and head-on. Figure 2.2.Strategic response for e- governance  At the tactical level of individual e-governance projects, identified best practice on design---reality gap closure must be adopted. Examples of such best practice include: Legitimizing and mapping current reality: integral to e-governance project success is an understanding of reality. Yet this may be difficult to achieve. E- Governance project leaders can help by \'legitimizing reality\': by encouraging stakeholders to articulate the difference between rational, prescriptive models of what they should be doing and real depictions of what they are actually doing. Techniques for exposing and mapping organizational realities play a role here. Self- and third party observation helps expose realities. Use of soft systems tools such as \'rich pictures\' helps map realities. Prototyping helps both, particularly helping users to understand their real information needs. Customization to match realities: as described above, e-governance solutions designed for one sector or country are being forced directly into a very different reality, creating failure. To combat this, leaders of e-governance projects must be competent enough and confident enough to demand designs that match their situation\'s unique reality. The keywords for such projects must be \'customized\' not \'off-the-shelf\'; \'adapt\' not just \'adopt\'. Modularity and instrumentalism: with the growth in connectivity and as a natural consequence of dealing with millions of entities, e-governance projects are frequently large. With pressures from donors/vendors and pressures to play catch- up with the private sector, e-governance projects are frequently ambitious. Designers must reconfigure such projects to limit the extent of change at any given time. Stretching project time horizons is one technique. There is also a growing consensus behind modularity (supporting one business function at a time) and incrementalism (providing stepped levels of support for business functions) within e-governance projects. Hybrids and terminology: design reality gaps often arise because of a \'two tribes\' mentality. Technology is understood by IT designers, but governance realities are not. Politicians and officials are aware of the reality of government, but they are not computer savvy. The solution lies with \"hybrid managers,\" who comprehend both points of view. However, there is essentially no hybrid training. Even worse, since more and more e-governance tasks are being contracted out to the private sector, the tribal divide is widening. This makes the conflict between consumers\' and designers\' cultures and values worse. Terminology, too, is part of the problem. \'e-Governance\' (electronic governance) may be unhelpful by suggesting, wrongly, that delivery of ICTs is an end in itself. As stated above, it may be more appropriate to talk of \'i-Governance\' (integrated governance or, perhaps, intelligent governance that places governance objectives in the driving seat, with ICTs seen as one part of the means to deliver those objectives alongside people, processes and information. Closing specific gaps: as well as applying generic best practices such as those just described, it will also be important to address specific design reality gaps. Early analysis of these gaps in e-governance projects means moving beyond the narrow confines of typical risk assessment models, with their focus on the simple parameters of project resources(Heeks, 2001). 6. **E-Governance Initiative in Ethiopia** A turning point in the Ethiopian government\'s determination to use ICT as part of its state and nation building strategies can be traced back to 2001, when the prime minister Meles Zenawi emerged victorious from the split within his party. The measures that were taken in the aftermath of this political battle included ambitious projects to reinforce the state. Among these, one was concerning the development of ICT in service delivery (Gagliardone & Dolooba-mutebi, 2016). Later, during the period of plan for accelerated and sustainable development to end poverty (PASDEP), which runs between 2006 and 2010, five major initiatives were designed with regard to the ICT sector development in the PASDEP document (MoFED, 2006). During growth and transformation plan-I (GTP-I), which runs between 2011 and 2015, the government incorporated the issues of ICT and e-government in its national plan and identified major strategic directions.the plan implementation strategies focus on develop and standardize the ICT infrastructure and services; improve the national and regional state information exchange system by installing broadband internet network; provide ICT services to beneficiary at competitive price; support it professional need in selected economic sector with in the country; create an enabling environment that support increased innovation, creativity and professional (FDRE, 2010). On the other hand, during GTP I period, 47 government offices benefited from the ICT services. To enable the community benefit from ICT services, 35 centers have been established by federal offices. In addition, 19 community radio stations and 230 public information desks have been established during the plan period. To improve access and quality of education and health services, 18 and 22 ICT-supported education and health services have been provided respectively. Thus, 125 informational electronic services and 152 transactional electronics services have been developed (against targets of 39 and 125 during the plan period). Likewise, wider application of e-government, e-commerce, e-learning, e-library, mobile banking and others have enabled to improve the quality and efficiency of public and private services. However, there were substantial challenges ( FDRE, 2016). The second plan, growth and transformation plan-II (GTP II) that runs between 2016 and 2020. In GTP II, the strategic directions focus on digital infrastructure including: accelerate information, communication technology development, human development, ensure the legal framework and security, use ICT for government administration, upgrade government electronics services, internalize ICT knowledge among the general public, use ICT for industrial and private sector development and ICT research and development. Priority will be given to strengthening ICT industry and thereby improve competitiveness of the sector, expand sound and data services penetration to enable the general public particularly the rural part of the country benefit from the outcomes. The document also describes Ethiopia's national ICT vision is to "transform Ethiopia from a country associated with poverty to a middle-income economy and society...." Moreover, the document stated the ICT sector vision as "every aspect of Ethiopian life is it assisted (ibid). The application of e-government is an effective way of improving public service delivery to citizens. In recognition of this, the government of Ethiopia has developed and implemented an e-government strategy for the years between 2011 and 2015. This strategy resulted in the implementation of 168 services on the national portal. Nonetheless, to address the gaps in the previous strategy and enhance the e-government programs to generate more value to the citizens, in 2015, a new strategy named the Ethiopian e-government implementation strategic plan 2020 was developed. E-government strategy for Ethiopia has been designed, with a focus on facilitating effective delivery of government services to customers (residents, businesses and visitors). According to (MICT, 2013) the strategy envisages implementation of 219 e-services comprising of seventy seven (79) informational and one hundred thirty four (140) transactional services over a five year period. The implementation is proposed to be done through twelve (12) priority projects and service delivery would be through four channels (portal, call center, mobile devices and common service centers) and delivery will be facilitated and strengthened through six (6) core projects, including national payment gateway, enterprise architecture framework, public key infrastructure, national data set, national enterprise service bus and national integrated authentication framework. In addition common applications which will horizontally cut across all ministries are proposed, which include initiatives like e-procurement, human resource management system, e-office, e-mail and financial management & information system. The strategy has been design keeping the following guiding principles of e-government. - E-government is focussed in creating a smart (simple moral accountable, responsive and transparent) government; - E-government promotes causes of e-citizen and e-democracy; - E-government is not translating processes, however transforming processes; - E-government necessitates capacity building within the government; - E-government aims networked and integrated government; - E-government is citizen-centric; - E-government provides multi-channel delivery of public services; - E-government aims in providing convenient access of information to all, and improving service access & delivery; - E-government enables development & participation of all segments of population to reap benefits of it and also participate in the governance process and be able to voice their opinions more effectively; and - E-government supports in development and inclusion of private sector in public service delivery. (MCIT, 2013) A study by (Wazza, 2022) stated long-term plan of the country portrays how to accelerate the country's economic growth over the long-term period (ten years). The plan targets citizens' welfare, freedom, and prosperity and achieving a middle-income level in 2030. However, the plan has its strengths and many weaknesses with more critics than appreciation. Given the challenges and the different natural and man-made hazards the country faces, the plan is expected to be somehow flexible and adaptable. 7. **Future of E-Governance in Public Service Provision** Apart from in a few areas like transparency, could genuinely new forms of governance emerge from technology? Two possibilities relate to forms of virtual government (Bekkers, 2003) and e-Government 2.0 (Boughzala et al., 2015). **Virtual Government** One of the most misused terms in information systems is 'virtual organization'. By this is usually meant an organization that does not occupy a physical office or building, but where real people communicate electronically from wherever they are. Such an organization is not virtual in the proper sense of that term. However technology may now, be taking us in the direction of the genuinely virtual organization, i.e. one that exists only in the memory and circuitry of machines or the cloud. It is possible to envisage much government activity being transferred to machines. Developments in artificial intelligence could have even more profound long term consequences. At certain low levels, machines are now starting to be deployed for activities that were heretofore done by humans. With contemporary technology, many low-level government activities which require a verbal exchange and which are currently performed by humans can now be carried out by machines. It is not a large step to a world where such functions include decision-making. The rationale for electronic governance of this type is powerful, especially where the three Es of efficiency, economy and effectiveness are dominant values. In such a world, e-governance would take on a substantive and quite distinct meaning. E-governance would encompass not only the use of advanced technologies for public and social management and control, but for consultation and participation. Over the next few decades and probably well beyond, technology is going to present polities and societies with enormous and unfamiliar challenges of governance. E-Governance will be about how polities address these challenges. **E-Government 2.0 and beyond** E-Government 2.0 envisages new forms of governance that are bottom up. Web 2.0 is one major change that is being transforming work practices and more widely the organization at whole. Web 2.0 refers to characteristics like the delivery of software over the internet, the generation of content by users, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources and network effects gained through more participating users. It is the use of tools such a social networking, blogs, wikis, mash ups and so on to create not only new forms of governance, but new services generated from within communities themselves rather than being provided by the state. This vision has all the usual good words attached: open, participative, engaging, empowering, personalized, etc., and there are practical examples in existence. It can be argued that social networking is creating new forms of governance. It is perhaps a little early to see where this technology will take governance, but the capacity for localized decision making or community action based on these technologies is there. If and when this evolved, this too will constitute a form of e-governance(O'Reilly, 2007). The new Digital Europe Program (DEP) that is being prepared for the period 2021- 2027 is putting emphasis in advanced digital skills, focusing on supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cyber security, the use of new technologies and the use of digital service infrastructures (DSIs) developed by the connecting Europe facility program (European commission, 2019). Apart from advanced digital skills the need for a digital transformation platform for interoperability of data and services across border and domains has been recognized as a prerequisite for citizen-centric public services. Digital innovation hubs and interoperability incubators will play a crucial role for innovative government-tech services.towards this direction, public administrations strive to provide more digital public services (Stasis & Papastylianou, 2022).