The Centre will extend funds to the tune of Rs 1,070 crore to Karnataka for setting up a data centre, state portal, wide area networks and related projects, to deliver citizen-centric services, a top official said on 21 January 2010.

Additional Secretary in the IT Department S R Rao said the Union government is putting in close to Rs 270 crore for building the data centre, state portal, wide area networks, capacity building and common service centres.

"This is over and above 800-odd crores of rupees that is going to come in through mission-mode projects (in Karnataka)," he said at a regional summit on eGovernance and digitisation of government here.

"We (the union government's e-governance department) have surplus funds," he said, adding it is just that states and local bodies need to show "willingness" and come out with e-governance projects focussed on financial and socio-economic inclusion, for funding.
Rao said his department and the industry proposed to build a common platform which should enhance the speed of delivery of services to citizens.

He said the government would organise a two-day seminar next month for SAARC nations in which India would showcase its progress and initiatives in e-governance area.
Vice-President and Business Head -- Asia Pacific and Middle East, Wipro Consulting Services, Anurag Srivastava termed e-governance as a transformation and employment tool in the hands of government for social inclusion.

Founder Director of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore, S Sadagopan wanted e-governance services to be delivered in an unobtrusive way.
Karnataka's e-Governance Secretary M N Vidyashankar said e-governance is the only good road to good governance and added that while technology is expensive, not using technology is even more expensive.

Top e-governance government officials from Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry attended the day-long seminar, sharing best practices in their states.

Source: PTI