Awareness for NeGP

The Department of Information Technology has already taken following efforts towards awareness campaign for NeGP. ( Even though according to Planning Commission note awareness is responsibility of DARPG )
* Communication Need Assessment Exercise
* NeGP logo for branding
* NeGP awareness stalls at key events and conference across the country
* Ads in TV, Radio, Press
* CSC awareness through personal contact and van based activities
* Publicity films on subjects like e-District, MCA21, CSCs etc
* Support to Conferences and Workshops

While acknowledging the efforts by DIT the author has following feedback to offer:
* The efforts like NeGP logo, Cups, Notebooks with NeGP logo are important from branding prospective. But the important part is that the branding is being done in those limited set of people who are already aware of NeGP and are following e-Governance Developments in the country.
* The participants in conferences and workshops are also same set of people with minor additions/ deletions and the awareness through these workshops and conferences whether organized or funded by DIT therefore is limited. It is also important that majority of the speakers in these conferences are same set of people with the same presentations. Therefore the sponsorships in conferences or stalls at these events serve little or no purpose.
* As regards the Ads in TV, Radio, Press are concerned the message in these ads is generally about NeGP. Common man has no relevance or understanding of NeGP, for them what matters is the facilitation in services as achieved. The message has to be about the projects and not about NeGP.
* The website as quoted in various print ads www.negp.gov. in is non functional and redirects the observer to DIT website. It creates an impression that such an important program of Government of India is not having its own website despite a separate domain name. The content under various MMPs on DIT website is also old and needs updation
* The publicity films as mentioned are also played to a limited set of audience or senior officials who are already aware of NeGP. I had been following NeGP since 2002 and I have not seen even a single such video, therefore I have enough reasons to believe that such videos have not trickled down to the common man.
In my submission the following efforts may be taken by the Department
* To identify the target audience in each Mission Mode Project and then follow up with awareness campaign. From citizen prospective Mission Mode Projects are more important then NeGP as a programme
* The awareness campaign should not be limited to NeGP and should spread across e-Governance projects so that cross awareness of projects not under NeGP lead to overall awareness.
* A repository of e-Governance initiatives may be proposed which archives all e-governance initiatives for reference of the practitioners. Egovdatabase was one such effort in the past.
* A collaboration with academia may be proposed and DIT in collaboration with some leading institutes may introduce courses on e-Governance. Executive courses in one institute serve a limited purpose.
* e-Governance workshops may be organized in specific Ministries specially of the projects being implemented by the Ministry for the whole staff. While giving lectures at ISTM I have noticed that none of the participants is aware of the e-Governance initiatives of their Departments and their knowledge is limited to the departmental website. Further during filing of RTI applications for various projects officials in MHA were not even aware that the Police MMP falls under whose domain and the RTI request was forwarded from one official to another.
* The Department may also come up with a compendium on NeGP for reference by all stakeholders. Also the reports/ RFPs as funded by DIT may be made available on DIT website
* The Department may also tie up with various ground level NGOs and take benefit of schemes like Bhagidari of the State Government
* Citizen participation during conceptualization of projects is also important to ensure that the solution provided is according to their requirement. It happens that the discussions take place only with the stakeholders/ officials of the Government
* Any RFP prepared for a MMP may be put for public scrutiny as well as scrutiny of various stakeholders like the private companies. It is important that the RFP or the project conceptualization report may be audited by another consultant to ensure there are no gaps in the system.
* Instead of the messages on NeGP, the videos prepared on various MMPs may be shared with the citizens. The past success stories like the Railways , Banking may be highlighted and the efforts on new initiatives may be communicated.
* National Campaigns with local follow ups may be introduced. The lessons learned from the RTI experience may be replicated.
* The population must be separated on meaningful groups and targeted accordingly.
* Public opinion surveys may be conducted which will help to analyze if positive results are achieved out of various efforts.
* Participation and sensitization of elected representatives is more important than the Government officials.
* A newsletter on NeGP may be launched which gives regular updates of various projects rather than fragmented updates as available on DIT website currently.
* Media relations may be strengthened and the consultants within the Ministry may be encouraged to contribute regular articles in newspapers. The Government must look beyond the PIB and national channel for the such collaboration. Proactive interviews through MOS, Secretary, AS may also be encouraged
* Officials of EGPMU may be kept updated on all projects and not just their domain through a dedicated intranet.
* At a later stage a toll free inquiry services may as well be introduced for various stakeholders.
* Lessons may also be taken from countries like UK which launched full awareness campaign. However we may have to be realistic in our goal as in UK also such campaigns gave limited results.
* The why, which, whose, what, who of the messages may be analyzed before any message.
* Various philanthropist, activists who may be critical of various initiatives may be made partners in the process. Once such individuals are consulted their view points will change within short span of time. They may be critical initially but the criticism will vanish once they understand the prospective of the other side.
* The rural population, youth, women, differently- abled individuals may be specifically targeted.
* Buses in AP carried the web address www.ap.gov.in ; such innovative techniques may be used to spread the message.
* Cell phones as medium of awareness campaign may also be explored.

In nutshell the Department of Information Technology should not waste resources on inconsequential media campaigns,conferenc es, branding exercise and creating awareness amongst the same set of individuals