E-Government News

ID cards to adopt smart technology By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff ReporterAbu Dhabi: ID card holders will not need to swipe or insert the cards in card readers to use the services like e-Gate thanks to a contactless technology, a senior official told Gulf News. "Card holders have to just show the cards to card readers as Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) will soon adopt RF-ID technology (a contactless smart card technology) for new cards, said Darwish Ahmad Al Zarouni, General-Director of EIDA. "It will save a lot of time for users," he said. When the ID card is used as e-gate card at airports, proximity cards (using RF-ID contactless technology) will smooth the flow of passengers, he added. The e-Gate card provides a fast-track immigration clearance using smart technology and a fingerprint scan. This not only takes one through immigration faster but also saves space on a passenger's passport, as it eliminates the need for a manual stamp every time they travel. A senior official had said the Ministry of Interior has completed the technical process to integrate the e-Gate card with the ID card and it will be activated soon. "About 437,514 people had obtained e-Gate cards from the card's launch in 2006 until December 2008, Brigadier Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, Acting Director-General of the Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department.Another senior official revealed that about two million cards have already been procured by EIDA and one million have been issued. Although these do not have the RF-ID technology, current ID card holders can upgrade them at a later date. "Out of those 2 million cards, we have already issued about 1 million cards", said Dr Ali Al Khouri, Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Quality at EIDA. People who travel abroad frequently and do online transactions may need the new contactless technology, he said. "The ID card also acts as a link between government and citizens in e-government transactions. If you have a card reader (attached to the system), you can use the ID card to log on many e-services which will be offered by the federal and local governments," the official said. "The governments worldwide have a challenge to verify the identity of online users [e-government services]. The ID cards help the government organisations in the UAE for that purpose." Customers can purchase card readers (of the brands/companies) approved by EIDA, he said. EIDA is closely working with the governments to facilitate more e-government services by using ID cards, said Al Khouri. Although EIDA has a plan to integrate ID card with banking services to use it as ATM card, it needs more time and effort due to the high security risk involved, he added. * 1m ID cards have been issued * 437,514 people have obtained e-Gate cards * 2m ID cards have already been processed Source: http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Government/10284858.html

Daniel Castro and Robert AtkinsonThe first two waves of the IT revolution offered state and local IT leaders amazing opportunities to make government more efficient, improve services and increase transparency. Today, an emerging third wave is making it possible for governments to solve pressing public problems in fundamentally new ways. The first wave of the computer revolution allowed governments to automate and streamline an array of processes. The second wave — the Internet revolution — led to the deployment of an entirely new set of online government services. Whether a small town uses its municipal website to provide 24x7 access to online services or a state develops a system to allow residents and businesses to pay fees online, IT can help make government more responsive. Many of these initial e-government applications simply automated existing government activities. This is no small feat — IT applications save taxpayers money by boosting efficiency. But it’s no big deal to simply use new technology to do old things better. What’s revolutionary is using new technology to do new and better things. Think of the personal computer: Although the PC was a major improvement over word processors and calculators, its true revolutionary potential did not emerge until we began using it to do something that was fundamentally new, such as surfing the Internet. Now we’re reaching a tipping point. The confluence of faster processors, better storage, greater bandwidth and advanced software — coupled with new technologies such as geographic information systems, global positioning systems and distributed sensor networks — makes it possible for state and local governments to harness IT to solve pressing societal challenges in the areas of education, health care, energy and transportation. The communities that are most successful in addressing those challenges will be those that use IT to vastly improve the availability and use of information. Across the nation, IT is revolutionizing government in myriad ways. For example, San Francisco, where in 2007 a teenager was stabbed in an argument over a parking spot, is installing wireless sensors in 6,000 parking spots. Drivers will be able to find an empty spot automatically by either downloading the information onto their cell phone or reading street signs that are connected to the system. In Philadelphia, city officials have launched a pilot program to put radio frequency ID tags in recycling bins so they can automatically track and reward citizens for recycling. As a result, the participation rate has shot up to 90 percent. And in Washington, D.C., the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority publishes train information online. Commuters can find out when the next train is coming and check for service disruptions from web-enabled mobile phones. The next wave of e-government will require agencies to digitize even larger quantities of information. Many government IT leaders are already moving their communities in this direction. The Portland (Ore.) Police Department makes crime data available through its online CrimeMapper website. The Kansas Highway Patrol logs all accidents with injuries or fatalities on its website to streamline the process of disseminating crash information to the media and the public. Data needs to be not only accessible but also reusable. Creating digital data using interoperable standards (such as XML) that can be shared and reused multiplies its value and can prove far more useful than just building a website or application that solves a single problem. For example, in Fairfax County, Va., local leaders are developing a comprehensive online GIS database that covers everything in the county from bus routes to private drinking wells. If data is accessible and reusable, then citizens and nongovernmental organizations will be able to bring their creativity to bear. For example, volunteers working around the world established the KatrinaHelp Wiki as a clearinghouse for information on multiple disaster recovery efforts. One major initiative — the Katrina PeopleFinder project — aggregated data on survivors from multiple sources into a single repository using an interoperable XML standard called the People Finder Interchange Format. The potential benefit of making more data accessible and reusable is huge. Take public safety: The United States has more than 2 million miles of onshore oil and natural gas pipelines, operated by roughly 3,000 companies. Unmapped pipelines can cause significant financial and health risks to construction crews or others who might unknowingly dig into them. But communities can create digital maps of these underground hazards by using online GIS databases. Digital images are used to update the online maps in real time, which makes them far more accurate and efficient than the paper maps of the past. In the near future, as local governments and utility companies amass more GIS data on underground pipes and cabling, workers will be able to use GPS-enabled equipment to avoid potential hazards. When it comes to digital transformation, governments must lead by example. When practical, state and local government should be early adopters of new technology instead of relying on industry to lead the way. For example, government agencies can pursue green IT initiatives by establishing telework policies and creating telework best practices to reduce energy consumption and traffic congestion. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for every community, but each local government does not need to build its own system from the ground up. Organizations should cooperate in setting common data standards and sharing best practices. It’s also important for government to engage with the private and nonprofit sectors. Working together, state and local leaders can drive investment in the IT infrastructure that’s needed to produce economic growth and improve the quality of life in their communities. Daniel Castro is senior analyst and Robert Atkinson is president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. They are authors of Digital Quality of Life: Understanding the Personal and Social Benefits of the Information Technology Revolution. Source: http://statetechmag.com/events/updates/the-next-wave-of-e-government.html

The Web is spreading to rural India thanks to a number of e-governance initiatives, the largest among them being the National e-Governance Plan, a public-private partnership started in 2006A survey by IMRB International and the Internet and Mobile Association of India showed last week that there are 3.3 million active Internet users in rural India. This is promising news, but it begs the question: Why aren’t there more? To be sure, among other advantages, the Internet enables commerce in rural India. Technology can solve what in microeconomic theory is known as the “missing markets” dilemma—a situation where an efficient market can be present, but isn’t. Just as mobile telephones have allowed fishermen in Kerala to discover the best prices for their catch, the World Wide Web can go a long way in providing the information necessary for the movement of goods to and from rural India. The Web is spreading to rural India thanks to a number of e-governance initiatives, the largest among them being the National e-Governance Plan, a public-private partnership started in 2006. Under this programme, the government will spend Rs23,000 crore in five years to set up 100,000 Internet kiosks across the country, with private players such as Microsoft and IBM providing the technical knowhow. Yet, the progress so far hasn’t been inspiring. According to the survey, 15.1 million people in rural India are computer-literate, but only 3.3 million—21%—are active users who approximately avail of the Internet once a month. Part of the problem is that such e-governance campaigns are aimed at the government more than the citizen. The computerized systems in place to help farmers access credit, for instance, minimize time for the bureaucrat, but not the farmer. If anything, computerization may even lengthen the process of getting loans: The farmer can no longer procure documents by quickly bribing the local village official since the bureaucrat in the state capital is now at the helm (and may demand a bigger bribe). The Internet also fails to aid the poorest farmers who till their fields but don’t possess the required legal documentation. They are “squatters” who cannot avail of any kind of loan. Technology isn’t the elixir for this missing market. The answer here is property rights. Not just the landless ones, all farmers will benefit from a stronger property-rights regime that enables land transfers without major bureaucratic interference. Greater Internet usage will demand more resources: infrastructure for cheap electricity, as well as programming in regional languages. NGOs can play a role here, too, in tailoring systems to rural demands. But before all this, India needs the political will to push reforms granting property rights. Without this missing piece, rural India will remain an incomplete jigsaw puzzle. Source: http://www.livemint.com/2009/01/18214404/The-Internet-amp-absent-mark.html?h=B

Shabir AliIslamabad, Jan 18: Though the successive governments have claimed of turning the State into a hub of Information Technology, the professionals related to the field continue to remain jobless. These unemployed youth, who have completed their technical degrees, have accused the authorities of putting their career at stake claiming that not a single post for them has been advertised by the recruiting agencies of the government during the last one and a half decade. “Our technical skills and talent go waste as our services are not being utilized by the government anywhere,” said President, Association of unemployed computer engineers, Irfan Ahmad. “Despite the revolution brought by IT, not a single post has been advertised for computer engineering here by the government during the last 15 years,” he added. There are about 2000 unemployed computer engineers. Though some of them have gone outside the state seeking jobs in private sector, most of them are either working on contractual basis in different government departments or are sitting idle at their homes. Ishtiyaq Ahmad, a computer engineer who completed his BE in computers eight years ago said, “The government has completely ignored the computer engineers. Our career has been put at stake. Instead of advertising posts for computer engineers we are made to work as computer operators rather typists on contractual basis against meager salaries in various departments which is injustice with us.” Another computer engineer, Bilal Ahmad who completed his bachelors degree in IT six years ago was forced to work in a private school in Islamabad against Rs 3000. “Despite the importance of IT in the 21st century, we are made to run from pillar to post in search of jobs. Almost all the government departments now-a-days are fully computerized and whenever a fault develops in the software they realize the need of our services,” he said. These unemployed professionals also allege that the government prefers Master of Computer Applications (MCA) candidates over them when the posts for lecturers at secondary level are advertised. The MCA candidates however complain that they have also been ignored. “There are more than 1000 MCA pass outs only from the Kashmir University (KU) who are unemployed. In the last eight years only 40 posts of lecturers for computer sciences at secondary level have been advertised by the Service Selection and Recruitment Board (SSRB). Not only the IT professionals, but all those who are well versed in computer sciences have been ignored,” said Samiullah, a pass out of the first MCA batch of Kashmir University. “Despite the need of computer sciences in almost all the educational institutions, the government continues to show reluctance in recruiting IT professionals,” he added. Expressing concern over the issue, Director, Information Technology KU, Mehraj-u-din Dar said, “The government instead of recruiting them and utilizing their services for effective management in the offices continues to exploit them by making them work as computer operators on contractual basis in various departments. As a result their talent and technical skills go waste.” “On one hand the government claims of going for complete e-governance and on the other hand it continues to ignore the professionals with out whom the dream of e-governance can never be fulfilled,” Dar said, adding that if the authorities continue with their lackadaisical attitude towards computer engineers no one will prefer to go for MCA and other IT courses in future. He said that the reason for failure of e-governance in the State is that the services of computer engineers were not sought for effective information management. Source: http://www.risingkashmir.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=9980

SHOWKAT NANDABaramulla Jan 17: People associated with IT sector here feel dejected despite claims of the government of turning Kashmir into a hub of e-governance and e-learning. According to the CIC managers, Community information Center (CIC) Project was started with an aim of providing IT literacy to rural people of North Eastern States which later on was extended to other parts of India. "The first State to be taken up was Jammu and Kashmir. It was felt that the basic needs of citizens such as information, education and health services can be addressed through the establishment of Community Information Centres in the State," said Nayeem Siddiqui, a CIC manager at Baramulla Community Information centre. Siddiqui adds that CIC was supposed to be used as a platform for e-governance after completing the basic tenure of five years. "As the first phase is likely to end, CIC's are yet to turn into the centres of e-governance and e-learning as per the plans. The National Informatics Centre (NIC), Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, Govt of India has completed all the formalities of handing over the same project to DIT. But that has not been done yet for reasons unknown,” adds Siddiqui. The IT professionals are suffering for the last one year. They feel let down even after the statements of the CM Omar Abdullah of elevating the IT sector which will make a vibrant Kashmir. "Though CM has time and again given statements of making IT an important sector in the State but the people associated with IT see no vibrancy in his statements. We are wage less for the past one year. It is not a matter of just about 250 employees but of their families as well," says another CIC manager Shahid Israr Shawl. According to the employees, the Govt. of India is spending huge money for implementation of IT in the form of State Wide Area Network (SWAN), but they are not being utilized properly and the employees are made to suffer unnecessarily. Source: http://www.risingkashmir.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=9962

Edited by Greg NelsonOften new voting systems are tested first on neighborhood councils. In a reverse on that, it may be worth tracking what’s happening in Estonia (go to Warsaw, turn left on the E67, and stop at the third country). The World e-Democracy Forum reports that the Estonian Parliament has approved a law that will make Estonia the first country to allow voting by mobile phone in its next parliamentary elections in 2011. Estonians are already allowed to cast votes using the Internet. To vote by phone, each registered voter is given a special SIM card. If you’re interested in whether or not either of these methods should be used in neighborhood councils, and you don’t have the cash to visit the world’s leaders in electronic voting, consider contacting the Estonian Consul General in Woodland Hills. Tell them that you’re interested in meeting with an expert from there. ◘ Source: http://www.citywatchla.com/content/view/1928/75/

by Andrew Pugh, Port Talbot GuardianA Port Talbot councillor has embraced the internet to communicate with his electorate. Labour councillor Anthony Taylor, who at 29 is the second youngest councillor in Neath Port Talbot, has set up an internet blog detailing his day-to-day work. It was started in December and has since proved popular with residents in his Taibach ward. Describing his motivation for the site Coun Taylor said: “I started the blog as a way of communicating with as many people as possible, particularly the younger generation who are used to that sort of thing. “It seems to be quite popular. It’s very handy for people in that it gives them a chance of seeing what’s going on at things like PACT meetings if they can’t attend.” On the blog, web users can read about advice surgeries, local news, Coun Taylor’s meetings and appointments and issues affecting Taibach. It comes after Plaid Cymru AM Bethan Jenkins hailed the use of so-called e-democracy in modern politics – and encouraged more elected representatives to embrace the internet. E-democracy is the use of the web and new technologies to improve democracy, communication and grass-roots campaigning. Ms Jenkins, the Neath-based Assembly Member for South West Wales, is well-known for her use of blogging to keep constituents up-to-date on goings-on in the Bay. Coun Taylor was keen to embrace the web after being for the first time in the May 2008 local elections. He said: “I would certainly encourage more councillors, and all elected representatives to find more ways of communicating with the public, though not necessarily blogs. “What works for some people may not work for others. And the blog cannot replace face-to-face communication.” One visitor to his web site said: “Glad to see a local councillor making good use of modern technology and setting up this blog. Good luck to you Mr Taylor, I will be watching your blog with interest. Keep up the good work.” Another said: “It’s good to see young councillors. They are our future and I applaud Mr Taylor for trailblazing with this new form of newsletter.” You can visit Coun Taylor’s blog at http://cllranthonytaylor.blogspot.com. Source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/port-talbot/2009/01/15/councillor-embraces-e-democracy-with-blog-91466-22683849/

The Kojo Nnamdi show, which airs on WAMU, one of Washington, D.C.'s public radio stations, dedicated an hour yesterday talking about "The Obama Era and the Digital White House." You can listen to the show here.The guests were Lee Rainie, founding director, Pew Internet and American Life Project, Darrell West, vice president and director, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution, and Andrew Rasiej, founder, Personal Democracy Forum; Co-Founder, techPresident.com. Early on, they discussed the role of social networking in the Obama administration. Potentially, Web 2.0 tools could protect Obama from the "bubble effect," they said. By keeping a direct line to public opinion -- through discussion forums, blog comments, etc. -- the new president could keep a good feel for the issues that most concern them, rather than relying on the media, opinion polls and other filters. The transition team already has been testing the waters with Change.gov and the concept appears promising. The team has already received thousands of comments on various topics. But here is one thing to consider: What happens if the administration begins to receive tens of thousands? Or hundreds of thousands? Is it possible to have a meaningful exchange on that scale, or does it all become white noise? The Web site uses a user-driven rating system to push the best comments to the top of the page. But it is not clear how well that will work as the volume grows larger and larger. Given the success at Change.gov so far, I suspect this question will arise very soon after Obama takes office. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the latest addition to Change.gov: The Citizen's Briefing Book. Here is how the Web site describes it: "Share your ideas on any issue facing the new administration, then rate or comment on other ideas. The best rated ideas will rise to the top -- and be gathered into a Citizen's Briefing Book to be delivered to President Obama after he is sworn in." Source: http://fcw.com/blogs/insider/2009/01/edemocracy-crush.aspx

To inspire trust in e-commerce and e-governance, we need appropriate laws to bring cyber criminals to justiceCaught In The Net | Kamlesh Bajaj Unlike the physical world that has clearly defined geographical boundaries, cyberspace is borderless, and with increased Internet penetration, it’s becoming larger since its size is proportionate to the activities carried out in it. Buying and selling of goods or services, transfer of funds through banks, making credit card payments, sending emails, interfacing with people through social networking sites and exchanges of pictures, videos or music are some activities performed in cyberspace. There is, thus, a seamless merging of cyberspace with the physical world. And clearly of crime, too—it is also used as a medium to exchange information for carrying out financial frauds and terrorist activities in the physical world. Cyber crimes are committed both in the physical world and in cyberspace by exploiting weaknesses in networks and computer resources. Securing of systems through cyber security measures, including their physical security, is essential to protecting cyberspace, thereby reducing chances of unsecure systems becoming vulnerable to attack, or being used to commit crimes. Nations have to take steps to secure systems within their borders even though cyberspace is borderless. Cyber security is essential for a nation’s internal security. It is in this context that the passing of the Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, in the last Lok Sabha session in December, has to be viewed. The primary objective of the Information Technology Act, 2000, or IT Act, was to provide for legal recognition of electronic documents, and of digital signatures at par with handwritten signatures for e-commerce and e-governance applications in line with the Uncitral Model Law on Electronic Commerce, adopted by the UN Commission on International Trade Law (Uncitral), in January 1997. The Act created a legal environment that was conducive to the growth of e-commerce. Also Read Tweaking the law to deal with cyber terrorism To inspire trust in e-commerce and e-governance, we need appropriate laws to bring cyber criminals to justice. Most countries have created separate laws to deal with computer misuse. India chose to have an omnibus law when it legislated the IT Act that included not only provisions for electronic records, digital signatures and certifying authorities, but also those that deal with unauthorized access to computer systems and some forms of cyber crime. The IT Act created a basic legal framework for e-commerce to promote trust in the electronic environment through acceptance of electronic documents and digital signatures as evidence in a court of law; promoted e-commerce and e-governance as major applications through legal sanctity accorded to electronic records and digital signatures; acceptance of electronic documents by the government, and provided for dealing with offences in cyberspace in the form of hackers and other criminals trying to gain access to databases and other business sites. However, cyberspace has seen a significant increase in crime worldwide. India is home to the fourth highest number of Internet users in the world; cyber crimes recorded a 50% jump in 2007 over the previous year, under the IT Act, according to the National Crimes Record Bureau. Not many cyber criminals could be brought to justice for want of adequate enabling provisions and other technical-legal requirements for collection of cyber forensic evidence and its acceptance in courts. Besides a host of crimes that were not covered in the Act, there were problems due to the non-availability of data logs in servers and communication devices of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cyber cafés and other organizations. There were no uniform guidelines for maintenance of logs by these service providers. Cyber cafés, for example, are governed by guidelines issued by state governments or under police orders. With such incoherent and incomplete processes, it has been difficult to arrest criminals and terrorists who have often used cyber cafés to communicate among themselves or have sent threatening mails to their targets. While the amendments to the IT Act were triggered by the arrest of Avnish Bajaj, CEO, Baazi.com (now part of eBay) for allegedly transmitting obscene images of schoolchildren, as an intermediary, the initial focus of the committee set up by the government to review the Act was on defining the intermediary. At the IT industry’s instance, the government enlarged its scope to deal with data protection issues that were assuming importance. Outsourcing to Indian IT firms by customers in the US, the UK, Europe, Australia and other countries requires that the privacy of clients’ data handled by these firms is maintained and that there should be an enabling legal environment in India to address breaches of confidentiality and integrity of data. Continued growth of outsourcing, with present revenues of nearly $50 billion (Rs2.44 trillion), depends to a large extent, on having a data protection regime that creates trust in trans-border data flows to India. Cyberspace security for data protection includes everything—from e-commerce and e-governance growth to electronic signatures, data protection, encryption, protection of critical information infrastructure, cyber security and national security. Amendments to the IT Act try to address all these. Kamlesh Bajaj is chief executive officer, Data Security Council of India. The views expressed here are his personal views. He can be reached at kkbajaj@gmail.com This is the first of a four-part series on cyber security. Source: http://www.livemint.com/2009/01/15002701/Amendments-to-IT-Act-tighten-c.html?h=B

Jammu, Jan 14(NAK): Keeping with the savvy image of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has moved at top speed to set up an exclusive e-Governance Agency (JaKeGA) with an empowered Board of Governors, headed by the State Chief Secretary.Modelled on similar agencies working in many progressive states like Karnataka or Punjab, the JaKeGA has been registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act on January 14, 2009. This is supposed to provide the Agency with the much-needed flexibility to implement IT-related projects throughout the State and to receive grants directly from the Government of India and other donor agencies. Free of time-consuming procedures, JaKeGA shall also take the single point responsibility for procuring all types of IT resources and services like hardware, software, power, printing and networking peripherals for Government agencies. This will help streamline the IT-related activities of all the departments and help them save time and money by providing them with a single point mechanism for design, development, procurement and training. JaKeGA shall also have the mandate to create permanent, temporary or project-based positions that shall help boost the employment prospects of the thousands of IT professionals in the State. JaKeGA shall also take up on priority the encadrement of all IT professionals already working in various Government departments into a "J&K Informatics Service" so that their promotional and other HR-related issues are duly taken care of. The day-to-day operations of the JaKeGA shall be overseen by an Executive Committee, headed by the Principal Secretary, Information Technology. (NAK) Source: http://naknews.co.in/newsdet.aspx?18727