The development of the science and technology white paper by the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, with an emphasis on harnessing the information revolution

The development of the tele-communications white paper by the Department of Communication

The initiative by the Department of Welfare to re-engineer its welfare payment system

These and other initiatives reflect the way in which government is responding to the challenge of using enabling technologies and new business paradigms to improve its service delivery and to create enabling environments. These initiatives need to be coordinated through relevant policy development by a cross-section of stakeholders.

Policy Response Options & Questions

As indicated above, there are numerous ways in which the government can contribute directly and indirectly to maximizing the benefits (and minimizing the risks) of e-commerce, and of information and communications technologies. The Indian government and the private sector have taken steps in these directions already, and should continue to explore every avenue to take advantage of technological change as an engine for social equity and economic growth.

One initiative that could be considered for inter-departmental and public-private co-operation is to study and promote the benefits of e-commerce in India. An agency could be established for e-commerce, with a mandate (similar to the Universal Service Agency's mandate for tele-communications) to promote widespread access to and use of e-commerce technologies, especially among disadvantaged groups.

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* Contributed by: -
Sambit Kumar Mishra & Ashok Kumar Chandra,
Ph.D. Scholars,
Institute of Management,
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur.