e-Governance

e-Governance is to provide SIMPLE, MORAL, ACCOUNTABLE, RESPONSIVE and TRANSPARENT i.e., SMART Government.  The resulting benefits are less corruption, transparency, paperless offices, greater convenience, revenue growth and/or cost effectiveness. Minimum agenda for each Ministry/Department for an effective e-Governance is expected to be -

1. To provide PCs with necessary software, including LAN, up to a certain level.
2. Training of all staff members who are expected to use computer through Learning Centres for decentralized training in computers.
3. To start using the NIC's Office Procedure Automation software to keep a record of all receipts, issue of letters, and movement of files.
4. Pay roll accounting and other house-keeping software for day-to-day  operations.
5. (a) Notices and circulars to be circulated by e-mail.
        (b) Submission of applications and official Notes/notings to be done electronically.
         (c) To set up online notice board to display orders, circulars etc.

6. To use the web-enabled DAR & PG Grievance Redressal Software.          
7. To have its own website specifically containing a section in which various forms to be used by citizens/customers are available.  The forms to be available for being printed out, completed and submission on the computer itself.
8. All Acts, Rules, Circulars to be converted into electronic form and, along with other published material of interest or relevance to the public, be made available on the internet and be accessible from the Information and Facilitation Counter.
9. The version of the websites be developed simultaneously in national and regional languages.
10. To make efforts to develop packages so as to begin electronic delivery of services to the public.
11. To have an overall IT version of strategy for a specific period, with in which it could dovetail specific action plans and targets (including the minimum agenda) to be implemented within one year.

In view of above, a large number of the service customer care e-services have already been initiated.  Among them, the most important is the website of the Union Deptt of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances regarding Citizens' Charters. It can be logged on www.goicharters.nic.in

For complaints & suggestions log on to :   http://darpg-grievance.nic.in

Grievances in Central Governments
To provide more responsive and citizen-friendly services, a public grievance redress machinery, headed by a senior officer as Director of Grievances, has been set up in each Ministry/Department vested with the powers to call for files/papers relating to grievance. He/she is supposed to be available on every Wednesday between 1000and 1300 hours.  Grievance petition should include the following information –

1. Name & address of the Complainant
2. Specifics of Grievance
3. Designation & full address of the authority approached earlier
4. Reference Number/date of the communication of the concerned authority, if any

For consumer-related information & guidance:
National Helpline to register complaints on line – www.nationalconsumerhelpline.in 

Some of the government and consumer organisation websites where one can lodge consumer complaints in India are:
http://www.cag.gov.in/
http://www.cai-india.org/
http://www.cccindia.net/
http://www.cercindia.org/
http://www.cgsiindia.org/
http://www.confonet.nic.in/
http://www.consumercomplaints.in/
http://www.consumerhelpline.in/
http://www.consumeronline.org/
http://www.consumer-voice.in/
http://www.corecentre.co.in/
http://www.icrpc.org/   
http://www.iepf.gov.in/
http://www.investorhelpline.in/
http://www.irda.gov.in/
http://www.karmayog.org/
http://www.ncdrc.nic.in/
http://www.pgportal.gov.in/
http://investor.sebi.gov.in/
https://secweb.rbi.org.in/BO/compltindex.htm
(Courtesy of Shri Mohan Siroya of Consumer Complaints Cell)

Addresses of other important websites are as follows

To file e-Income Tax Return through Private Consultants

Ministry of Human Resources

Indian Railways

Telephone Public Grievance Cell

For downloading FIR lodged since Feb 1, 2011 www.nic.in
In case of problems in lodging complaints with Police, contact with the Ms Kiran Bedi’s
‘Mission Safer India’ www.saferindia.com

Government of NCT of Delhi

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs        Toll-free 24X7 Helpline No. 1800-11-3090
(For Overseas Indian Workers,
Victims of NRI marriages, etc.
Private Helplines for victims of NRI marriages
Website of ICP (International Council of Punjabis) – www.icpunjabis.com 
Can also contact - Redcross Bhawan, Garhshankar (Hoshiarpur)