16.

GOVERNANCE , ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

16

GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

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nj®ªJbrŒ t~nj Kiw.
- ÂU¡FwŸ 541
Search out, to no one favour show,
with heart that justice loves Consult,
then act; this is the rule that right approves.
- Thirukkural 541

Introduction
“Tamil Nadu will nurture a culture of responsive and transparent Governance that ensures
progress, security, and equal opportunity to all stakeholders “
- Vision Tamil Nadu 2023
Governance relates to the assigned responsibilities in managing the
management of all such processes that, in affairs of the society. Agenda for improving
any society define the environment which governance includes improved participation
permits and enables individuals to raise their of people, effective decentralization of
capacity levels, on one hand, and provide governance, involvement of civil society
opportunities to realize their potential and especially voluntary organizations and the
enlarge the set of available choices, on the crucial right to information.
other. The State is responsible for creating
a conducive environment for building The agenda also includes civil service
individual capabilities and encouraging reforms, reform of revenue system, judicial
private initiatives. reforms with a view to hastening the process of
delivery of justice. The operational decisions
Efficient governance requires that would lead to better governance are as
efficient institutions and the efficiency and follows:
effectiveness of institutions, in turn, depend
on their adopted delivery mechanism and the (a) Stability of tenure
supportive framework of rules and procedures. (b) Transparency and Curtailing the menace
Each of these needs to work in harmony with of Corruption
the other to discharge the functions for which (c) Controlling expansion of bureaucracy
the institutions have been created. Only then and improving the productivity
one would expect the institutions to fulfill (d) Involvement of NGOs/ community in
their stated objectives and carry out their Government programmes

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 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

(e) Strengthening of Panchayat Raj

“Governance is (i) the process by
Institutions (PRIs) and decentralization
which governments are selected, held
of Planning
accountable, monitored, and replaced (ii)
(f) Promoting use of IT
the capacity of Governments to manage
(g) Effective monitoring of development
resources efficiently, and to formulate,
programmes implement, and enforce sound policies
(h) ‘Single window clearance’ procedures and regulations; and (iii) the respect for
and ‘Investor assistance cells’ the institutions that govern economic and
(i) Human Resource Development social interactions among them”.

Need for Good Governance -Kaufmann, Recanatini and

Biletsky, World Bank.
The Twelfth Five Year Plan aims to
recognize the need for good governance to
achieve more inclusive, sustainable and An overarching requirement is that
accelerated growth for overall development. the rule of law must be firmly established.
Effective service delivery mechanisms, more This is relevant not only for relations between
transparency and accountability in the the government and individuals but also
functioning of the state and corruption free enables the individuals to demand their
administration could contribute to achieve legitimate rights. Finally, the entire system
the desired goals to eradicate poverty, must function in a manner, which appears to
unemployment and other serious problems be fair and inclusive.
which are faced today. It is recognized that
The Department of Administrative
the good governance includes the following
Reforms and Public Grievances have proposed
distinct dimensions:
a framework for good governance in the form of
a Code of Governance. The main components
• A feature of good governance is the
of this Code are: (i) improving Service
constitutionally protected right to elect
Delivery; (ii) Development of Programmes for
government at various levels in a fair
Weaker sections and Backward Areas; (iii)
manner, with effective participation by all
Technology and System Improvement; (iv)
sections of the population.
Financial Management and Budget Sanctity;
• Government at all levels must be (v) Accountability and Transparency; (vi)
accountable, transparent and corruption Public Service Morale & Anti-Corruption; and
free. (vii) Incentivising Reforms.
• Government must be effective and efficient
The State needs to focus more on
in delivering the social and economic
these issues during the Twelfth Plan period
public services, which are its primary
and tone up the administration at all levels to
responsibility. This requires constant
meet the desired goals. The specific initiatives
monitoring and attention to design the
programmes. will be discussed in detail.

• Governments at lower levels can only e-Governance

function efficiently if they are empowered
to do so. The objective of the e-Governance
system is to ensure responsive and
transparent governance, which will ensure
that the citizens are provided with equal
opportunities and the means to access the
facilities. Improving the quality of governance
and transparency in the working of the

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

government institutions is both an outcome providing transparent, efficient and speedy

of the vision and an important enabler in service in Governance by taking advantage of
achieving the vision. The role of the government ICT tools.
would be one of a policy maker, facilitator
and regulator. Tamil Nadu will create strong Infusion of technology and bringing
and independent institutions that ensure the in world class ambience will naturally
regulation and management of the different bring about a shift in attitude among our
sectors. The state will also bridge the urban Government servants to work for and serve
-rural digital divide by providing high speed the citizens. The vision is to ensure that the
broadband connectivity to every village. The citizen should not visit any Government office
common service centres operating in rural for any service rather he/she should be able
areas will be extended to cover the entire state to avail these services through the internet.
facilitating easy interface between the citizen The web should be the interface for the citizen
and the government. The state will also have with the Government for availing routine
a strong e-governance framework where the Government Services. A focused public
web will be the interface between the citizen policy with a guided approach is necessary
and the government. All transactional and to improve the productivity levels within
information requirements of the citizens will the Government. It is proposed to bring in
be satisfied through an electronic interface a comprehensive e-Governance policy to
obviating the necessity to visit government provide visible parameters and a clear vision
offices. for Governance.

Tamil Nadu is a front-runner among Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency

the States in ICT enabled Governance, (TNeGA)
by successfully implementing various
Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency
e-Governance programmes of the State
(TNeGA) is a State Nodal Agency for all
Government and also the schemes under
e-Governance initiatives of the Government
the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). It is
of India. It also acts as the support agency
planned to ensure that the services are made
of the Government of Tamil Nadu in all areas
available to the common man in his locality
of e-Governance and help in Programme
through common service delivery outlets with
Management of the schemes with Capacity
efficiency, transparency and reliability.
Building.
Building on the various levels of • The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency
computerisation which have been achieved (TNeGA) has been functioning to
by several departments, the State has spearhead the e-governance initiatives of
decided to select the departments having the Government departments.
high level Citizen-Government interface, for
• State e-Mission Team (SeMT) is sponsored
comprehensive computerisation with process
by Government of India and functioning
re-engineering on a mission mode.
under TNeGA. The SeMT is handholding
e-Governance initiatives will improve all the departments to initiate e-services.
delivery of services to citizens, business • Project e-Mission Team (PeMT) is
and employees, and will also engender re- formulated in the Mission Mode
engineering Government processes, making it Departments (MMD) for Project level
more efficient and increasing transparency in support.
the working of the government departments.
• The Agency would be strengthened and
This will ultimately enable the transition
developed into a Resource Centre on
of our society to an empowered society. It
e-governance initiatives.
is proposed to take a giant stride towards

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 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

E-Governance Projects transparency and reliability of such services

at affordable costs. Accordingly, the State is
Pilot e-District taking steps to establish sufficient number of
Common Service Centres in rural areas.
Districts are the primary delivery
channels for Government administration Capacity Building
to deliver a large number of services to
the citizens; therefore e-Governance can The Capacity Building scheme is
significantly improve Government service intended to draw e-Governance roadmap
delivery at the grass root level. e-District for departments and Training component
has been envisaged by Government of for Government Officials to self-sustain the
Tamil Nadu as automation of workflow and e-Governance projects. There are certain
internal processes of District Administration Mission Mode Departments identified
with the possibility of seamless integration by Government and roadmap have been
of various departments including Revenue, prepared. Various levels of Training
Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, Backward like e-Governance Sensitization, Project
Classes & Most Backward Classes Welfare, Management, Computer orientation program
Social Welfare, etc., for providing services are covered. A State e-Mission Team (SeMT)
to the citizens. This project is of paramount has been created in TNeGA with a group of
importance to Government as it would help Consultants to assist the Government in
in creating an automated workflow system implementing Capacity Building.
for the district administration and help in
providing efficient department services. This State e-Mission Team (SeMT)
is implemented initially in the five districts of
Ariyalur, Perambalur, Coimbatore, Tiruvarur SeMT is established to help the line
and Krishnagiri. The Nilgiris District has also departments to implement their e-Governance
been included as Pilot e-District. Under this initiatives that are aligned with NeGP goals.
project the District Collectorates, Revenue SeMT will act as an internal advisory body
Divisional offices and Taluk offices/ Block to all mission mode departments and work
Development offices are computerized and closely. The following are the functions of the
connected by State Data Centre through Tamil State e- Mission Team:
Nadu State Wide Area Network. Hardware
• SeMT will assist the department in the
have been supplied and installed in all these
creation of Project e-Mission Team or
offices. The Revenue Inspectors and the VAOs
e-Team to augment the rollout of citizen
would also be provided with computers.
services in online modes and through
Several applications have been developed
CSCs.
for delivery of Government services through
internet and Common Service Centre. Under
• Help department to create e-Governance
the e-District Project, the services of various
road map and departmental e-Governance
departments are provided to the citizens.
action plan with time line for roll out of all
its citizen services phase by phase through
Common Service Centres (CSCs)
online and CSCs.
Realizing the basic needs of the
• Assist the departmental employees in
common man the State has taken steps
building their capacity to handle all the
to provide all Government Services to the
rollout of services through online and CSC
common man in his locality through common
modes in specific time frame by taking
service delivery outlets and ensure efficiency,
complete ownership.

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

Department-wise e-Governance mast towers at Pamban, Thondi and Chinna

Initiatives Erwadi have been established. Hand held
marine VHF radios will also be distributed to
Adi Dravidar & Tribal Welfare Department the fishermen for safety.

A web based scholarship system for BC,MBC & Minorities Welfare Department
Adi Dravidar & Tribal Welfare Department is in
operation. The system has been implemented The District Backward Classes Welfare
in all the Districts covering 3,470 institutions offices in the pilot e-Districts have been
benefiting more than 2.60 lakh students. computerized making the grant of Post-metric
scholarships to Backward Classes and Most
Agriculture Department Backward Classes students totally online.
The students by using their ID can verify the
Tamil Nadu Agriculture Information status of their application at any Common
Service Network (AGRISNET) is web portal Service Centre. This transparent approach
of Agriculture department which provides enables the department to know the number
updated information. e-governance of scholarships granted/ pending and also
in agriculture keep farming community resolve any grievances of the students.
on knowledge updation of latest farm
crop technologies and other cultivation Free Cycles Distribution has been
approaches through new initiatives such as extended to IX std and ITI students of
Farm Crop Management System (FCMS), BC & MBC Communities. All the Government
Touch Screen Kiosks, new software modules- and Government aided schools can directly
such as farmers data base collection through log into the system and feed the information
mobile application, agro advisory services, of the students enrolled in their schools.
farmers data updation through Interactive This application paves way for expeditious
Voice Response (IVR), Scheme Benefit and easy assessment of the requirement,
Tracking System and Online booking of procuring and monitoring the distribution.
Farm machinery hiring system for effective
farm planning, management of inputs Co-operation, Food & Consumer
and speedy transfer of extension activities Protection Department
under AGRISNET platform. (http://www.
tnagrisnet. tn.gov.in/ website /index.php) Online Public Distribution System
allotment software designed with the help
Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries of NIC has been put to effective use. This
Department system has enabled uniformity in compliance
to allotment procedure by every Taluk Supply
In order to ensure the safety Officer/Assistant Commissioner of Civil
and security of the fishermen venturing Supplies who provide shop wise allocation
into high seas, the Government of Tamil of commodities for distribution under
Nadu have introduced “Seamless Radio PDS. Besides the said procedure leads to
Communication Network” by fixing Very substantial transparency in allocation of
High Frequency (VHF) set fitted with Global commodities and monitoring.
Positioning System (GPS) in each fishing
craft. Under this scheme, installation of The web site of the civil supplies
seamless communication network in 13 Department ( www.consumer.tn.gov.in ) has
coastal districts would be undertaken in two the provision for any consumer under PDS
phases.Three base stations along with High

771
 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

to register his /her complaints/suggestions http://tnvat.gov.in provides the dealers, to

on line. Besides, by registering the e_mail file their online VAT monthly Returns along
address and the details of fair price shop, any with the facility for e-payment. They can also
card holder will continuously get allotment track the status of applications submitted
details for their fair price shop every month online so as to avoid visit to Commercial tax
through e-mail. Handheld billing machines Offices.
have been installed in all the fair price shops
in the city of Chennai. These devices enable Energy Department
real time monitoring of sales and stocks in
every shop. It is proposed to extend this Government of India has launched
facility to the entire State. a “Re-Structured Accelerated Power
Development and Reforms Programme''
In Tiruvallur and Krishnagiri districts, (R-APDRP), in which Power Finance
vehicles carrying essential commodities Corporation of Tamil Nadu has been
from godowns to fair price shops are designated as the Nodal Agency for the
provided with GPS equipment for tracking of programme. The programme envisages an IT
movement which prevents enroute diversion. backbone for Data Acquisition at Distribution
It is proposed to extend the facility in a level and based on the results monitored,
phased manner to the entire State. Online steps would be taken to strengthen Electricity
surveillance system at fair price shop level is Distribution system.
being in operation on a pilot basis and it will
be expanded. The accounts relating to every Computerisation of Low-tension
fair price shop is being placed for social audit Billing and Collection has been implemented
by the family card holders during ‘Grama in Metropolitans, Corporations and
Sabha’ meeting conducted so as to enable Municipalities under Project BEST (Billing of
every cardholders to view the transactions Energy Services in TNEB) Scheme.
made by them.
Environment & Forests Department
Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation
has implemented Online godown monitoring NIC, Chennai, has developed a
system in all the 225 godowns, enabling web based application for online filing
online capture of all transactions in godowns. of application for consent for the Tamil
A scheme of end-to-end computerization for Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
PDS is being evolved along with re issue of www.pcboac.tn.nic.in. This software helps
existing family cards as ‘SMART CARD’ based the industries to submit the applications
on bio-metric data of card holders. This will anytime anywhere. The system also has the
help to eliminate bogus cards, bogus billing facility for the District offices to enter the
and other misconducts. details of each application at every stage of
the back office operation.
Commercial Taxes & Registration
Department Finance Department

The Commercial Taxes Department The “e-Pension” System developed for

has entrusted the task of developing and the Pension Pay Office is an Intranet based
hosting application software enabling the workflow model system which handles all the
Commercial Tax Dealers to register and file stages of processing right from the receipt of
their monthly VAT Returns online to ELCOT Pension application from AGs office till the
and the software is now under pilot run by sanction of Pension for the Pensioners.
the Commercial Tax department. The URL,

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

Automated Treasury Bill Passing for students, Citizen and the Polytechnic
System (Karuvoolam-ATBPS): A web-based Colleges. (http://intradote.tn.nic.in)
application has been developed for the
Department of Treasuries and Accounts. Home, Prohibition & Excise Department
This application simplifies the work and the
bills can be audited across the counter and Crime and Criminal Tracking Network
passed on the same day. Manual register can System (CCTNS) has been approved as one of
be dispensed with as e-Reports are generated. the mission mode Project under NeGP. It aims
at creating a comprehensive and integrated
Health & Family Welfare Department system for enhancing the efficiency and
effectiveness of policing through a nation-
Health Management Information wide networking infrastructure for evolution
System (HMIS) is a centralised web-based of IT enabled state of the art tracking system
application for all Government run secondary around ‘Investigation of crime and detection
care hospitals and medical colleges under of criminals’. This covers all the Police
Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project developed Stations in the State.
at a cost of `60.00 crore. The broad objective
of the project is to use ICT in improving the Housing & Urban Development
ability to collect, store and analyze accurate Department
health data across the State. The project
was conceptualized to provide critical health Directorate of Town and Country
data across the health chain for quick and Planning (DTCP) has entrusted the
timely intervention by Health Department. development of application software with
Currently, 43 secondary care hospitals have ELCOT for automating its operations in the
been brought under TNSWAN connectivity area of Layout Approval and Building Plan
and is expected to connect more hospitals Approval.
during the Plan period. The system enables
Highways and Minor Ports Department
creation of electronic patient records and
Management Information System (MIS) for
Highways Department is in the process
doctors.
of standardizing and computerizing all the
processes like traffic survey, estimation and
Pregnancy and Infant Cohort
preparation of BOQs, bidding, preparation
Monitoring & Evaluation System (http://
of tender documents and agreements,
picme.tn.nic.in): An online monitoring system
measurements, billing, accounts, audit, etc.
has been developed, which helps to monitor
GIS is being used for Tamil Nadu Road Sector
the health status of Pregnant Women
Project and also for Road Accident Data
registered with any Primary Health Centre
Management System.
(PHC) in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu and
also the infants born to these women.
Information Technology Department
Higher Education Department
ELCOT has customized an ERP
(Enterprise Resource Planning) solution in
A system has been created which
Linux open platform, enabling all operations
helps the Citizens to get the basic details
of ELCOT anytime anywhere. This application
of around 450 Polytechnic Colleges and
would be extended to other Government
525 Engineering Colleges. This web-based
departments after due assessment and
application was designed and hosted with the
customization.
data provided by the Directorate of Technical
Education (DoTE). This portal has interfaces

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 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

The State has developed a State Legislative Assembly Department

Portal & Content Management System
(CMS) (http://www.tn.gov.in): The objective All Members of the Tamil Nadu
behind the State Portal is to provide a single Legislative Assembly have been provided with
window ‘Any Time, Any Where’ access email IDs, to enable the public to contact
to the information and services of the them at any time to redress their grievances.
State Government at all levels from State The MLAs can make use of the e-mail IDs by
Government to District Administration or accessing the website - http://mail.tn.gov.in
Panchayat level for the citizens and business.
The State Portal is developed based on State Municipal Administration & Water
Portal Framework proposed by Department of Supply Department
Information Technology and National Portal
content structure, following the web content A comprehensive web application
accessibility guidelines. for Chennai Corporation covering a wide
range of activities ranging from Municipal
State Portal, State Service Delivery accounting, Works Management, Property
Gateway (SSDG) & e-Forms Project:
Tax, Asset Management, Inventory and Stores
Government of Tamil Nadu through TNeGA
Management, Land and Estate Management
is adopting a State Service Delivery Gateway
etc has been put into use.
(SSDG) which will act as an interface between
Government and Citizen for the exchange
Planning, Development and Special
of information and to deliver integrated
Initiatives Department
Government services to the citizens. State
Portal and e-forms would ensure a seamless Chennai Metro Rail Limited has
interface between the Government and developed Data Management system for
Citizen.
Chennai Metro Rail project. This application
software provides for document and
Labour & Employment Department
information sharing among all project
An online web portal has been participants. It will ensure the document
exclusively developed for the Employment storage, retrieval, consulting, reviewing,
Directorate, to facilitate the registration of communication etc.
job seekers, vocational guidance, periodical
collection and compilation of data and The basic objective of Chennai
implementation of unemployment assistance Utility Mapping project is to develop a City
scheme. Apart from this, to avoid the wide Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) with
serpentine queues at the Employment capabilities that will deliver maximum benefits
Exchanges, an online registration system to the utility agencies and to meet the current
has been introduced whereby the students pressing needs of the City Administration in
can register through internet from their their respective areas. Various government
school itself and get the seniority on the same organizations make use of the information
day. About 12 lakh students have benefitted available.
through this initiative during the Eleventh
Plan. A web-based software application has Public Works Department
been developed for the Construction and
Manual Workers' Welfare Board for executing The Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture
the various welfare assistance schemes and Modernization and Water Bodies Restoration
pension schemes. Management (IAMWARM) project is a multi-
disciplinary project conceived by the Water
Resource Organization (WRO) with the aim

774
 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

to improve the performance of irrigated online Grievance Redressal System developed

agriculture. The project uses an Enterprise by NIC, provides a facility to citizens to file a
Information Management System (EIMS) for petition to the District Administration. The
efficient implementation. system also handles the necessary back office
processing. The system enables effective
Revenue Department
monitoring of the grievances submitted by
the Citizens to the District Administration.
Web based systems have been
developed for improved and efficient The web based Open source application is
delivery of services to citizens by providing implemented in 27 Districts and more than
connectivity to Taluk Offices. The services 5.32 lakh petitions have been received so
that are offered to the citizens are view and far. Web based Certificate Management
apply Chitta Extract, view and apply register System (http://taluk.tn.nic.in/eservicescms):
extract, apply for Patta Transfer, view the This system takes care of Birth / Death
application processing status etc., registration at all Villages of Tamil Nadu. It
also provides a facility to record details of
The system facilitates online filing Community Certificate, Nativity Certificate,
by Citizens to apply for Certificates along Legal Heir Certificate, Income Certificate.
with requisite back office operations.
(http://edistrict.tn.gov.in). The Citizens can Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
currently apply for and receive digitally Department
signed certificates like, No Graduate
Certificate, Deserted Women Certificate, This web based system (http://
Income Certificate, Community Certificate, nrega.nic.in) helps to effectively implement
Nativity Certificate, without having to visit a and monitor Mahatma Gandhi National
Government office. Rural Employment Guarantee schemes
(MNREGS) in Tamil Nadu. This Software has
The basic objectives of the Collab land been implemented in all the 385 Blocks and
software are: 31 Districts. The Village level data is being
• To capture the details of the Ladder table captured at Block levels.

• To Print / View the FMB (Field Online Scheme Monitoring System

Measurement Books) (http://www.tnrd.gov.in): helps to monitor
• To handle transactions like Sub Division various projects implemented by Rural
and Merging Development and Panchayat Raj Department.
More than one lakh projects are executed
• To integrate with the Tamil Nilam
across the state every year and the amount
non-spatial information of the land –
spent on these projects is around `9000
application so as to provide both non-
Crore.
spatial and spatial information of the data
to the citizen.
School Education Department
The Department also developed
Anytime/Anywhere Land Records (http:// This web based system disseminates
eservices.tn.gov.in) to provide details on plots exam results and marks details for Higher
of land in Rural areas to citizens over the Secondary and SSLC Examinations
Web. Online Grievance Redressal System for including Supplementary Exams and Special
Districts is one of the major activities being Supplementary Exams which is published
carried out by the District Administration as six times in a year. (http://dge2.tn.nic.in &
well as in all Government Departments. The http://tnresults.nic.in)

775
 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

Through e-Service Register System services are offered to the Citizens:

service details of 1,03,712 Teachers
• Online Reservation System
pertaining to Directorate of School Education
is being computerized. Apart from the • Website For Tamil Nadu Tourism
6,892 schools, all the 32 Chief Educational
• Hotel Management System (HMS)
Offices and 68 District Educational Offices
are provided with User-IDs to feed the non- • Tours Management System (TMS)
teaching staff information. Details including • Centralised Reservation System (CRS)
general particulars, service details, family
details, nominations, qualification details • Boat House Management System
are available in the system. Each school has Transport Department
been provided with a user-ID for entering the
details. The following online services are
available for the benefit of the Citizens,
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises enabled through e-services of Transport
Department Department (http://tnsta.gov.in)
The objective of the Online filing • Online filing of Learner’s License
of Entrepreneur system (http://www. Applications by Citizens
msmeonline.tn.gov.in) is to facilitate the
• Online filing of New Vehicle Registration
entrepreneurs to file online application for
applications by Dealers of Vehicles
Entrepreneurship and Capital Subsidy along
with the necessary back office processing by • Online filing of Hire Purchase Agreement
the District Industries Centre. (Form – 34) and Hire Purchase
Terminations (Form-35)
Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal
• Online issue of Heavy Vehicle Driver’s
Programme Department
Training Course Attendance Certificate
The District Social Welfare Offices in • Online booking of Appointments to visit
the pilot e-Districts have been computerized RTOs for Driving License related activities
and the beneficiaries can avail the assistance
• Online registration of Grievances and
under the schemes online through e-District
track the status of Grievance
Project by TNeGA such as Poor women
Marriage Assistance Scheme, Widow • Evaluate the Skill Test for Learner’s
Remarriage Assistance Scheme, Marriage License (STALL) through System to create
Assistance Scheme for daughters of poor more awareness of the Traffic signals and
widows, Marriage Assistance Scheme for symbols.
orphan girls, Inter-Caste Marriage Assistance
Government e-Procurement System of
Scheme, Girl Child Protection Scheme.
NIC (GePNIC):
This transparent approach enables the
beneficiaries to know the status of their
NIC has developed Government
application. The Government can also
e-Procurement system, for implementation in
monitor the number of applicants benefited
the government offices across the State with
under various schemes.
the following applications:
Tourism and Culture Department
Online Enrolment of the bidders,
Tender creation & Publishing, Publishing
Various services of this department
of Corrigendum, Publishing of pre-bid
have been computerized and the following

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

meeting documents, Online bid submission/ for Excellence in e-Governance” every year.
re submission, Two Factor Authentication, Apart from this, to create an awareness on
Facility for Online payment collection e-Governance among the youth, students
through bank payment gateway, Encryption and e-Governance enthusiasts, a competition
of bids submitted by the bidder using Digital for development of innovative e-Governance
Signature Certificate (DSC), Facility for single/ software applications will be held every year
two/multiple cover bid system, Withdrawal and the winners will be honoured with the
of online bids, Tender opening online, “Chief Minister’s award for Excellence in
Automatic evaluation of the financial bid, e-Governance” every year.
Updation of the committee recommendations
at each stage of the tender process, Mail/ Disaster Recovery Centre at Madurai
SMS communication at various stages to
bidders/Government officials, Digital Signing While the State Data Centre
file documents using DSCs and Award of the (SDC) enables the State Government
Contract (AOC). and its departments to host their
software applications/services in a
The e-procurement system established secured environment, there is a need for
by NIC, adheres to the guidelines of Central comprehensive Business Continuity Planning
Vigilance Commission, Asian Development (BCP) which will ensure data security. The
Bank & World Bank. Disaster Recovery Centre (DRC) would be
set up at Madurai at an estimated cost of `60
It is proposed to introduce an crore. The Disaster Recovery Centre will be a
Integrated Financial Management System mirror image of the State Data Centre (SDC)
so that the receipts and expenditure are which will ensure zero data loss in real time
monitored through Automated Treasury application service delivery.
Management System, which will take care
of end to end computerisation of the State Supply of Cloud based Computers to
receipts, expenditures and budgeting Village Administrative Officers and
process. A treasury portal serving as a Revenue Inspectors (VAOs & RIs)
common payment gateway for remittance
of all Government receipts will also be put Cloud Computing is a model for
in place. This would bring in better control enabling convenient, on-demand internet
over tax receipts and expenditure in different access to a shared pool of configurable
departments. computing resources (e.g. networks, servers,
storage, applications and services). Cloud
New initiatives Computing differs from the classic Client-
Server model by providing applications from
Chief Minister’s Award for Excellence in a server that are executed and managed by a
e-Governance client's web browser, which does not require
any installed client version of an application.
Government of Tamil Nadu has
envisioned that all Government Services are It is proposed to provide cloud
to be delivered to Citizens at their doorsteps. computing based Personal Computers
All Departments should strive hard to to Village Administrative Officers and
deliver all their services to Citizens through Revenue Inspectors so that they can work
e-Governance. As a mark of recognition and on the e-District applications, maintain
encouragement, the departments which Computerized Village Accounts and other
strive towards this task successfully will be utility services from their own offices. Initially
awarded with the “Chief Minister’s award the pilot e-Districts, viz., Krishnagiri, Ariyalur,

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 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

Perambalur, Thiruvarur, Coimbatore and at Secretariat be carried out speedily. Hence,

The Nilgiris Districts would be covered at it has been decided to include Computer
an approximate non-recurring cost of `1.50 Training as one of the subjects in the
crore and a recurring cost of `1.70 crore. “Foundational Training” given to the Staff
of the State Secretariat, which will ensure
Provision of Broadband connectivity to speedy, efficient and timely execution of work
Village Panchayats at Secretariat.

Computers were provided to all 12,618 e-Governance Awareness Campaign

Village Panchayats of Tamil Nadu in the year
2005. The State has now decided to provide To change the present scenario
Broadband connectivity to all these Village of “People approaching the Government”,
Panchayat Offices. The cost per broadband Hon’ble Chief Minister has envisaged a
connectivity works out to `7,000/- per situation where “Government reaches
annum and the total recurring cost for all the the People”. The role of e-Governance is
Village Panchayats approximately works out indispensable to implement this vision. In
to `10.00 crore. order to create awareness among the poorest
of the poor in our society about e-Governance,
Citizen Contact Centre it has been decided to conduct e- Governance
Awareness Campaigns at the Block level,
In order to furnish details required by which will be a “People’s Movement”.
the Citizen, enhance the Citizen – Government
interaction and also to deliver the services of Administrative Reforms
various departments to Citizens, Government
has decided to set up a Citizen Contact Centre The Government had constituted an
at Chennai. The approximate cost for setting Administrative Reforms Committee under
up this Centre is estimated at `6.00 crore. the Chairmanship of Justice Dr. A.K. Rajan,
Services like Grievance Redressal, providing Retired Judge of Madras High Court with
clarifications on Government Schemes, ten Members and a Member-Secretary for
contact details of Government Offices, status suggesting the ways to ensure corruption
of applications/petitions seeking services, free and transparent administration from the
etc., will be offered through the Citizen Secretariat down to the village level. Orders
Contact Centre. have been issued for implementing most of the
recommendations contained in the first report
IT Training to Rural College students and second report. The Head of Departments
have been requested to take appropriate
IT Training would be imparted to action on these recommendations.
college students from rural areas by technical
experts to equip them with the necessary Centre for Good Governance
skill-set required for competing in the global
market and secure an employment in Multi- Efforts would be made to establish
National Companies. This scheme envisioned Center for Good Governance at the State
by the State would brighten the future of level during the Twelfth Plan Period to ensure
rural youth. Approximately 2500 students the achievement of the state in various fields
would trained in a year. are documented and disseminated to the
stakeholders. The main objectives of the center
Computer Training for Staff of the State would be (i) To coordinate with government
Secretariat departments and stakeholders in identifying
issues related to governance, service delivery
Secretariat being the axle of the State and reforms in the state; (ii)To act as a think
Administration, it is essential that the work tank and help translate government goals

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

to ensure good governance and encourage procedures of government departments

best practices adopted in the state; (iii) To and agencies and to reduce the interface
help in formulating key policy decisions of of the public with government officials
the government and provide assistance in
implementing the same; (iv) To document • Strategy, Performance & Innovation - To
best practices by various departments, support the creation and operationalisation
ensure proper documentation and develop of Strategy Performance & Innovation
methodologies for various governance reforms Units (SPIUs) in key government
and e-governance initiatives; (v) To support departments to assist them in fulfilling
change management and management their role in leading governance reforms;
development programmes in government to To collaborate closely with SPIUs to help
effectively carry forward governance reforms them deliver departmental reform action
and to develop a reform communication plans through the use of CGG and other
strategy for wider implementation; (vi) To resources.
provide technical support and advisory
services to State and local governments, in The initial outlay to establish the
the areas of research, action research, change Centre for Good Governance would be `10
management, design and implementation of crore with annual recurring expenses of `2
governance reforms, including administrative crore.
reforms.
Decentralisation and PRIs
The following would be the Focus
The 73rd and 74th Amendments of the
areas of the Centre:
Constitution mandated the establishment
• Simplify government procedures and of Panchayats at the district, intermediate
improve service delivery mechanisms and village levels. The 74th Constitutional
Amendment Act mandated the establishment
• Improve Accountability in the Government of the District Planning Committee (DPC) for
and guarantee services to citizens consolidating plans prepared by Panchayats
and Municipalities in the district into the
• Ensuring Transparency in Financial Draft District Plan. The strengthening of
Management local governments would enable and sustain
greater access to basic services, as well as
• Enhance capability of policy-making in ensuring participation in the decision making
government and improve the performance process. A proper plan can emerge only
of public functionaries if sufficient steps are taken to strengthen
these institutions. Presently, the focus is on
• Undertake preventive, educative and sectoral approach to the planning.
enforcement measures to control
corruption in public life Strengthening people’s
participation
• Develop systems to improve performance
based on a scientific performance A mechanism would be evolved to
management system ensure participation of all the stakeholders
such as elected representatives, line
• To develop effective change management departments, SHGs, Village leaders
training modules for delivery by belonging to different groups and other civil
government departments society organisations at the grassroots level
at the time preparation of shelf of projects
• To apply tools of information technology at the village level in rural areas and at
to simplify cumbersome processes and the ward level in urban areas. This would

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 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

ensure better participation including women of rural areas. A detailed survey undertaken
and socially disadvantaged groups in the to ascertain the availability of basic needs
planning process and preparation of district and assess the further requirement of basic
plans. Preparation of District Plan should be infrastructure for the habitations is expected
a co-ordinated exercise by harmonising the to provide better inputs for planning process
priorities and needs of various stakeholders. at micro-level thereby paving way for bridging
The implementation of State Balanced the regional imbalances. The database
Growth Fund would shift the district centric gathered during this elaborate survey would
approach to block centric approach to be made available in the public domain. This
address backwardness and disparities more online database would become the basis for
effectively. the formulation of shelf of projects by various
sectoral and line departments. Further, the
Harmonising Administrative Units various parameters that are covered in the
Census data and the Socio-Economic Census
At present, various departments data are expected to provide high potential
have various types of geographical and inputs for the planning process both at Micro
administrative hierarchy which is different level and Macro level.
from one department to another. For example
the Rural Development Department have Transparency and Accountability
their Village Panchayat, Panchayat Union,
District Panchayat as its units whereas, the In public administration,
Revenue Department has Revenue Village, transparency refers to unfettered access by
Firka, Taluk, Revenue Division, Revenue the public to timely and reliable information
District as its units. Highways, Public Works on decisions and performance of governmental
Department, Department of Co-operation, institutions. Accountability refers to the
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Police, obligation on the part of public servants to
Education, Registration, Health, etc., have report on the usage of public resources and
their own geographical and administrative answerability for failing to meet the stated
units within a district at various levels. If a performance objectives. Integrity refers to
meaningful, integrated plan is to be made, honesty or trustworthiness in the discharge
it is imperative that all these different of official duties, serving as an antithesis to
geographical and administrative units should corruption or abuse of office. For the last three
be reworked and the geographical divisions decades or so, the values of transparency,
of every department, quasi Government accountability and integrity have been the
organizations within a district shall be made dominant paradigm in public administration.
co-terminus. Attempt would be made in this Sound public administration involves public
direction to harmonize the administrative trust. Citizens expect public servants to serve
units during the Twelfth Plan Period. public interest with fairness and to manage
public resources properly on a daily basis. Fair
Habitation based Planning and reliable public services and predictable
decision-making inspire public trust,
Equitable distribution of resources translate into improved lives for the poor and
to all the habitations in a proportionate vulnerable, and also, create a level playing for
manner alone shall mark ‘just & impartial the private sector, thus contributing to well-
development’ of the habitations and allay the functioning markets and economic growth.
disparities in development. The introduction of Transparency, accountability and integrity
Tamil Nadu Village Habitations Improvement of public administration are pre-requisite to,
(THAI) Scheme is a paradigm shift in the and underpin, public trust as a keystone of
approach towards the development process good governance.

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

Right to Information • Taking certified samples of material; and

• Obtaining information in the diskettes,
Right to Information is the key to
floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any
strengthening participatory democracy. The
other electronic mode or through printouts
Right to Information Act, 2005 came into
where such information is stored in a
effect on 12.10.2005. The aim of this Act is
computer or in any other device.
to promote transparency, accountability,
predictability, and participation and to secure The Anna Institute of Management,
the citizens’ access to information from Chennai is giving training to the Public
public authorities. The State Information Information Officers and other officials under
Commission has been constituted to exercise RTI Act, 2005 in order to know the Act in
the powers conferred on it and to perform the the correct perspective. Public Information
functions assigned to it under the said Act. The Officers, Assistant Public Information
Government of Tamil Nadu has sanctioned Officers and Appellate Authorities have been
one State Chief Information Commissioner appointed in each department to furnish the
and six State Information Commissioners in information to the information seekers.
the State Information Commission.
The time period for disposal of
According to RTI Act, 2005, “Right petitions received under Right to Information
To Information” means right to information Act is given in the Table 16.1.
accessible under the Right to Information Act,
2005 which is held by or under the control of Transparency
any public authority and includes the right
to- In essence, Transparency is about
opening up government's records to public
• Inspection of work, documents, records; scrutiny, and arming citizens with a vital
• Taking notes, extracts or certified copies of tool to tell them about what the government
documents or records; does and the effectiveness of governance.
Transparency in government organisations

Table 16.1 : Time for Disposal of RTI Applications

S.No. Nature of Petitions Time frame for disposal
1 Life or Liberty cases 48 hours
2 Other than life or Liberty cases 30 days
3 Third Party cases 40 days
4 If an application is received through State Assis- 30 + 5 days
tant Public Information Officer
5 Information relating to allegations of human 45 days
rights violations in the case of exempted organiza-
tions

makes them function more objectively and ushering in people-centred governance.

thereby enhancing predictability of decision- It empowers the poor and vulnerable to get
making and ruling out arbitrary decisions. information about public policies and actions
Transparency enables citizens to participate and leads to their welfare. Initiatives in
in the governance process effectively. In e-Governance and RTI would go a long way in
that sense, transparency becomes the key ensuring the transparency in the functioning
to strengthening participatory democracy of the system.

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 Twelfth Five Year Plan Tamil Nadu

The State would take up adequate out their responsibilities and making
measures during the plan period to develop decisions in difficult situations. They also
and organise educational programmes to ensure that members of the organisation
advance the understanding of the public, maintain a consistent and appropriate level of
especially disadvantaged communities, behaviour towards one another and towards
on various e-Governance initiatives as the clients of that organisation.
also regarding how to exercise the rights
contemplated under the RTI. The State would On the whole, an ethics infrastructure
also create a Beneficiaries Register which is grounded in the principle that citizens
will be hosted on the website which would expect civil servants to serve public interest
contain the details of all the beneficiaries with fairness and to manage public resources
who have been assisted under different properly on a daily basis. The primary concern
development programmes both in rural and of citizens is that their government must be
urban areas. This would also include the list fair and good. For a government to be good,
of beneficiaries who have been provided not it is essential that the systems and sub-
only the assets but would also include those systems of governance are efficient, ethical,
who have received subsidies and scholarships and equitable. In addition, the process of
etc. governance must be just, reasonable, fair,
and citizen-friendly. And the administrative
Social Audit system must also be accountable and
responsive. In the ultimate analysis, the
The right to information has opened test of good governance lies in the general
up and made possible the whole new area perception of the people about the quality of
of social audits. The process of social audit functioning of public servants; their attitude
requires free and open access to information, and behaviour towards the people; and their
where the information is placed in the public sincerity, honesty and their commitment
domain in a focused and verifiable form. In towards serving the public interest.
recent years, several steps have been taken
to institutionalise social audit in government The concepts of transparency,
programmes and schemes. Two of the flagship accountability and integrity can be combined
programmes - NREGA and NRHM- have built into an ethics infrastructure, which, if
in voluntary disclosures and social audits realised, would not only translate into
as mandatory safeguards legitimising direct improved lives for the poor and vulnerable but
citizen engagement in ensuring transparency also lead to fair and reliable public services,
and accountability. predictable decision making and creation
of a level playing field for businesses, thus
Way Forward contributing to well-functioning markets
and economic growth. The effects of lack of
Transparency and accountability transparency, accountability and integrity-
are, no doubt, important but an ethics leading to corruption and misconduct- can
infrastructure is incomplete without ethics. be demoralizing because it will undermine
Ethics are those values, which we use in and even public trust deficit in the process
making decisions. They help us to decide of governance. The focus in the Twelfth
whether our actions are right or wrong. When plan is to address some of these issues and
we think of ethics, we usually think in terms use of technology has been envisioned for
of people making decisions about difficult faster delivery of services. Further it would
personal situations. Organisations have also be ensured that proper documentation
ethical standards, too. These standards help and dissemination of information takes
the individuals working in the organisation to place that would lead to good governance.
maintain a consistent approach in carrying The governance reforms also focus on

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 Governance, Accountability and Transparency

transparency and accountability by ensuring participate in the decision making process by

increased participation of the community strengthening the planning mechanisms. All
in the decision making process. This efforts would be made to build the capacity
has been approached holistically, as the of elected representatives and functionaries
threads of transparency, accountability and by formulating suitable strategies. Techno-
integrity knit together will uphold all public centric approach has also been envisioned
administration and, ultimately, governance to make the administration transparent
reforms. and accountable to achieve the goals of the
Twelfth plan.
Summary
Plan Outlay
The Twelfth Plan focuses on
formulating effective governance reforms Governance reforms is not restricted to
aimed at improving the service delivery any department and hence reforms would be
through transparent, accountable and attempted in every department. It is proposed
corruption free initiatives. It is proposed to to strengthen and expand governance reforms
improve the service delivery mechanisms by to new areas during the Twelfth Plan period.
strengthening and extension of e-Governance The funds for these reforms will be met out
initiatives and also by providing an of the outlay earmarked for the respective
opportunity to the citizens to avail the departments.
services at the right time. The initiatives
also provide a platform for the community to

Fig 16.1: Characteristics of Good Governance

783