The situation in Punjab: Hype everywhere, IT nowhere

Rakesh Raman 


Chandigarh

Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is real of them all? And the mirror answers…none. But why? Because all these government outfits that claim to be working for the IT sector's development in Punjab are, in fact, stepping on each other's toes with conflicting and overlapping objectives. As a result, the state's progress in IT has gone from bad to worse, particularly during the last decade and a half. Since most of its own computerization projects are in limbo, its presence on the Indian IT map is almost invisible. 

Today, in the estimated Rs 30,000 crore (1999-2000) Indian IT market with nearly 60 percent growth, Punjab's contribution is believed to be even less than two percent, though at least half a dozen government agencies seem to be busy spreading IT culture in the state. The state's real IT race started with the inception of Electronic Systems Punjab Ltd (ESPL), a subsidiary of Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC), in 1983. The Mohali-based company was supposed to be a one-stop-shop, offering hardware and software solutions. 

Enjoying a complete privilege in the government sector, ESPL, during the initial few years of its operations, won laurels for the state even at the national level. However, its decline during the early nineties was as sharp as its rise. 

While the Indian IT market was maintaining a near 60 percent growth every year, ESPL's sales declined from Rs 29 crore in 1989-90 to Rs 25 crore in 1993-94. Still, the company with its initial success allured other state government players to jump into the IT bandwagon. During the late eighties, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) launched its software services wing to cater to the requirements of Punjab government departments. But soon, a typical government sector approach, coupled with lack of professionalism at this entity took its toll, and it collapsed along with all its plans. 

In 1988, the Punjab State Electronics Development and Production Corporation decided to take a plunge and floated its Software Technology Division. The objectives of this organization were also similar and as ambitious as those of ESPL or PSCST. But this division too couldn't face the vagaries of the IT weather, and was soon on its knees. However, its desire for making a quick buck persisted, and like other informal institutes, it started a computer training school under the banner of Center for Advance Learning in Computers (CAL-C), which has not been so advanced as its name suggests. But the center helped to generate some money through gullible students for the dwindling corporation, whose other electronics projects at the Electronics Town of Punjab (ELTOP), Mohali, were in serious trouble. Finally, it forgot about its initial objective of becoming a nodal software agency for projects of the Punjab government, and resorted to the ordinary tactics of making money through computer courses.

The National Informatics Center (NIC), a Central Government organization, which also started its operations in the state during the eighties, is still there to provide software services in Punjab. Besides, other government entities including Punjab Communications Limited (PUNCOM) and Punjab Wireless Systems Ltd. (PUNWIRE) were also in the fray to clinch their shares in Punjab's IT development pie. But there has been hardly any government software house that could really make an impact in the IT scene of Punjab.

Amidst all these activities, while the state's IT development has been in doldrums, the number of IT development agencies have proliferated. Among the latest to emerge is Department of Information Systems and Administrative Reforms (DISAR), which asks the Punjab government offices to take its help for their information systems-based needs. Even after about two years of its formation, the department has yet to show results, though it is supposed to provide a panacea for the state's IT-related ills. The department, for example, has been involved in running the official website of the state at Punjab Web Studio. The site was earlier developed by NIC. Even after spending a whopping over Rs 75 lakh on this venture, the website is in a pathetic state. While more money is being demanded to run the website, the agencies involved are indulged in a mud-slinging wrestle.

Recently, the state's Web Administration Committee, which handles Web Studio affairs, decided to take the Internet connection from Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), another Government of India entity, on the plea that the performance of the Internet connection from NIC is poor. Among other excuses for the sorry plight of the website, is a blame on the concerned departments, which are not sending information for site

updation.

Another confusing area in which the state government has planned to spend crores of rupees is e-governance. It has started a project called 'E-Governance--Citizen IT Interface' in association with National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI), the commercial arm of NIC. The objectives include information dissemination to the public, approvals and grievances redressal, making the government functioning more transparent and efficient. The entire project is planned to be implemented in 17 districts of Punjab with an initial outlay of Rs 13.60 crore. 

To start with, Fatehgarh Sahib is selected as a pilot district for implementation, before it's emulated in other districts. Having 18 different applications, the project is scheduled to be implemented by March 2001. But this project has an overlap with another recent one called Executive Information System (EIS) for the Chief Minister. For example, both claim to have an IT-based citizen interface with applications such as public complaints and Sangat Darshan. It is learnt that the computerized EIS for the CM has already consumed close to Rs 40 lakh including hardware and software costs, while the CM still depends on the time-tested manual system. 

An ironic similarity between the two projects is that both involve external software agencies, while the state government is spending huge amounts on the salaries of its own IT-related workforce deputed in different state-run agencies. While EIS is developed by a Rajasthan-based organization, for the E-Governance--Citizen IT Interface' the government is supposed to pay NICSI. It may be recalled that NIC had come to the state about 15 years ago with a promise to provide services free of cost, but is now leaving no stone unturned to make money from the government projects. It also charged lakhs of rupees for developing the Punjab government's official website at Punjab Web Studio, while the professionals appointed at the Studio by the state government prefer to remain as mere spectators. 

As if the plethora of government agencies and its professionals were not enough, the government also formed a high-power IT vision group comprising a bunch of committees--headed by different IAS officers--to oversee various aspects of IT implementation in the state. But this vision group has also not been quite visible during the last over a year of its existence. However, the hype continues. The government, instead of matching the customary IT pace, is, in fact, introducing new catching terms at an equal pace. And, the recent ones include SMART (Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent) government using IT, and SITAP (Strategic IT Action Plans), which have similar and colliding objectives with the already existing schemes. 

Now at least 10 IAS officers, ministers and the chief minister himself are involved in a bid to implement IT projects in the state. But a total lack of coordination and a blurred vision are among the stumbling blocks. On top of that, the beleaguered Punjab state is presently facing myriad other problems including a financial crunch, political upheavals, farmers' agitation, and so on. With all these bottlenecks, it will be a landmark achievement for the state if its IT policies really see the light of the day. (CNS)