Mr. M. Sivasankar IAS, Secretary, Information Technology,
Mr. Steve Nunn, President, The Open Group,
Dr. S. Chitra IAS, Director Kerala State IT Mission,
Mr. James de Raeve, Vice President, The Open Group,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A very warm good morning to everyone.
I am very happy to inaugurate the Annual India Conference of the Open Group, which is a non-profit global consortium that helps organizations to achieve business objectives through technology standards that ensure openness, wider levels of operation and consensus.
Let me at the outset, compliment the Department of Information Technology, Government of Kerala for organizing this conference to explore more effective ways of leveraging the benefits of Information Technology in governance. That this conference has been scheduled in tune with Government of India's announcement of a national level Enterprise Architecture Standard, speaks volumes about Kerala's commitment to the strengthening of a digitally empowered India.
As all of us know, Kerala has made considerable progress in creating a platform for the use of technology in governance. With the best connectivity and the highest mobile penetration, this small State has made giant strides in e-governance initiatives. True to the vision of the India Enterprise Architecture, Kerala has been endeavoring to establish the
best-in-class technological governance with processes and practices that make use of IT infrastructure and applications to provide the best services to citizens and to the businesses.
I am happy that Kerala has moved ahead of many other States in framing a State Enterprise Architecture, which hopes to enhance the efficiency of services, make the implementation more effective and improve the productivity of the staff. It is also laudable that for this venture, we have sought the advice and expertise of the Open Group which has played a pivotal role in drafting the national level Enterprise Architecture standard for the Government of India.
Of late, there has been an increase in the demands for using Information Technology to usher in transparency and efficiency in the delivery of various services of the Government. Thus, the Government Enterprise Architecture[GEA],which we hope to frame must transcend official boundaries and utilize data at various levels to coordinate the efficient and equitable flow of services.
The idea of good governance has been part and parcel of our development as a society, right from ancient days. Systems of governance have changed over the years and today, our position as the largest democracy demands a flawless and equitable delivery of services to the people. We have tried several models which have attained a certain level of success. For instance, in Health we are moving ahead with the e-Health Project, the e-Rekha in Land Records and so on.
As a person hailing from the Judiciary, I have observed how our country has moved ahead in the integration of law and digital technology. The National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the Indian judiciary, initiated in 2005 had resulted in the e-Courts project, beginning with the National
E-Courts Portal and the National Judicial Data Grid. Now,
e-Courts has a Mobile App, with a very user-friendly interface that allows access to all the relevant available information about a case.
Thanks to these efforts, the e-Courts Transaction increased from 2 crore in 2014 to 42 crore in 2017. The number of court orders accessed also increased from a mere 64 in 2014 to 3.56 crore in 2017. The e-Courts project and its transparency had helped India move 20 ranks forward in the in the Ease of Doing Business ranking of the World Bank. I am happy that this Conference would devise a strategy to improve Kerala's position in the Ease of Doing Business through speedy and transparent steps.
Coming to Kerala, in my experience in the last four and a half years, I feel that overall, there has been an increase in the use of IT enabled services in Kerala. It is evident in many areas including the Power sector which recorded a 15 per cent increase in the online payment. However, I also feel that Internet services still have a long way to go in terms of social acceptance and credibility.
First of all, Internet services tend to reach only a certain kind of audience, whose awareness levels are high enough to accept them. While we popularize online services, we are also seeing reports of people losing their money through online fraud. Such instances create suspicion in the minds of the people and therefore, professionals in the IT sector have a moral obligation to clear such issues. In short, if we insist on our lifestyle taking the online route, we must first guarantee that the route is secure. I sincerely hope that this Conference would address the issue of online security with utmost seriousness.
Another issue is about how internet-ready are our people. Of course, Kerala has been credited with being a digitally empowered State. But, we also have a very large population above 60 years of age. Take my own case; I am moving to 70 and I know several people in my age group who are just not willing to go online in financial matters. Unless processes are simplified, we cannot expect the elderly to move along with the online systems.
Our transition to a fully internet-ready society must start with our children by ensuring a hassle-free education up to the research level. By hassle-free, I mean a student life without being asked to submit certificates and get verified at various levels. I understand that we still have universities in Kerala which have not begun to accept fees online. And, our paperless offices still maintain a copy of everything on paper. Therefore, a Government Enterprise Architecture must also have an inclusive policy that ensures the techno- readiness of all sections of our society.
I once again greet all the international speakers attending this Conference and wish them the most fruitful deliberations and an unforgettable stay in God's own country. I also hope that the future Open Group Conferences to be held in cities like Dublin, Denver and Amsterdam would include Kerala as a positive case study for the entire world.
I compliment the IT department and other agencies for conducting this function in a befitting manner.
Thank you
Jai Hind
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