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World Bank keen to fund e-governance in India
By siliconindia staff writer
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Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: World Bank is talking to Finance Ministry for extending loan assistance for implementing e-governance programme for Centre and states, its country director Michael Carter said on Tuesday.
"We are in discussion with the Department of Economic Affairs under Finance Ministry for any help in this area," Carter said on the sidelines of an IT seminar, organised by World Bank and Assocham.
Centre has charted an ambitious national action plan for e-governance which would require investments worth over Rs 2,500 crore during 2003-2005.
Carter said the scheme envisages "inter-linking" of all the 35 states and Union Territories through the IT network.
The scheme would cover 10 main areas including land records, property registration, transport and revenue collection.
Apart from the Centre, states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal have evinced interest in getting World Bank assistance for implementing e-governance programme.
Andhra Pradesh, for instance, has sought World Bank loan worth $50 million for scaling up its existing e-governance programme.
The assistance sought by states vary between $10-50 million, a World Bank official said.
He said the bank would extend loans to private companies for commercial projects while states and Centre would be directly entitled for loans meant for social projects.
Once government finalises the e-governance plan, it would take six months for the World Bank to extend the loan.