Exclusive online interview with Anuradha Gupta, CEO of JaKeGA, on the challenges and triumphs of e-Governance implementation in Jammu and Kashmir

JAMMU: In an insightful and exclusive online interview by Ajmer Alam Wani, Editor-in-Chief of JK Monitor (www.jkmonitor.org), Anuradha Gupta, (JKAS), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir e-Governance Agency (JaKeGA), discusses the multifaceted challenges and remarkable strides achieved in the realm of e-Governance within the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT).

Gupta highlighted that while the implementation of e-Governance solutions has been pivotal for streamlining administrative processes and enhancing citizen services, several hurdles have been encountered along the way. One of the significant barriers has been the lack of awareness among the populace regarding the utilization of digital technology, resulting in limited adoption of e-Governance techniques. This issue is exacerbated by the prevalent reliance on intermediaries for accessing online services, indicative of a deficit in comprehending the potential of e-Governance.

Compounding this challenge is the issue of trust, as fraudulent transactions and security concerns have eroded the public's confidence in online platforms. Gupta stressed the importance of rebuilding trust and ensuring that citizens have unwavering faith in government-provided online services. She underlined the necessity of addressing the digital divide, which stems from economic disparities and insufficient digital literacy, thereby hindering equitable access to technology.

Privacy and security were identified as critical factors, with Gupta acknowledging the apprehensions citizens have about the protection of their personal data. She emphasized the imperative of instilling confidence through robust security measures and proactive awareness campaigns. Furthermore, inadequate infrastructure and internet connectivity issues in rural areas have posed significant obstacles to widespread e-Governance implementation.

Gupta candidly acknowledged that resistance to change remains prevalent, despite the transformative potential of Information Technology. She noted the need to overcome skepticism and encourage open acceptance of e-Governance innovations.

To surmount these challenges, the government has embarked on a comprehensive strategy, Digital J&K, encompassing digital infrastructure, governance, services, and citizen empowerment. Gupta underscored the significance of education in bridging the digital divide and outlined various measures taken, including the establishment of Community Technology Centers and skill development initiatives.

Regarding security, Gupta detailed the reinforcement of the State Data Centre with cutting-edge infrastructure and cybersecurity measures. She highlighted the organization's commitment to cyber awareness, evident through workshops and the deployment of sophisticated security software.

Gupta discussed the vital role of continuous learning and capacity building in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. She revealed the extensive training programs offered to JaKeGA personnel and government officers, with an emphasis on emerging technologies and advancements.

As Gupta elucidated, JaKeGA is actively integrating emerging technologies into its ongoing projects and adapting national-level initiatives to the UT's context. She underlined the importance of stakeholder engagement, user-centric design, accessibility, interoperability, and continuous evaluation to address resistance and ensure successful e-Governance adoption.

Looking ahead, Gupta emphasized the necessity of scalability and robust infrastructure to meet growing demands. She elaborated on the utilization of modern technologies such as blockchain and cloud computing to bolster the e-Governance ecosystem's usability and resilience.

Discussing the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), Gupta portrayed it as an opportunity for growth and evolution, urging a positive approach to collaboration between humans and machines. She acknowledged the potential impact of AI on jobs but advocated for leveraging human ingenuity and unique qualities to drive meaningful work.

In conclusion, Gupta underscored the fusion of technology and governance's immense potential and the imperative of aspiring leaders to transcend technology and data, focusing on business models, innovation, and strategy to drive digital transformation in challenging environments like Jammu and Kashmir.

The interview illuminated the complexities of e-Governance implementation and the comprehensive efforts of JaKeGA to overcome obstacles, ensure security, and enable a digitally empowered society in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

For the detailed interview, read questions and answers till end:-

1. As the CEO of JaKeGA, what specific challenges have you or the Govt encountered in implementing e-Governance solutions in the Jammu and Kashmir UT, and how those challenges have been navigated?

Ans: There have been several challenges while implementing e-Governance solutions in the Jammu and Kashmir UT. I would like to highlight few of them:

Lack of Awareness about the use of digital technology contributes to the limited use of e-governance techniques. Most of the people are still not aware of the scope of e-governance and depend on intermediaries for its use.

Trust: People lack trust due to fraudulent transactions and other factors, the trust of the people is compromised which becomes one of the factors responsible for the limited use of e-governance. We have to ensure people have faith on all online service made available to them by the government without any lapses.

Digital divide, a division between the people who have access to digital technology and the others who don’t have access to it, is another challenge. Economic poverty is one of the main causes of the digital divide. People are unable to afford computers/ smartphones, etc. Other factors include digital literacy, etc.

Privacy and Security are critical factors. People are apprehensive about the security and privacy of their personal data. We have to ensure that no compromise should be there and also make citizens aware of it. This will build trust among people and make them use of ICT.

Accessibility, the inadequate infrastructure facilities and internet connectivity issues in rural areas has been the biggest challenge in implementing e-governance.

Resistance to Change: Due to the introduction of Information Technology, a lot of changes have taken place but still, there are various people at different levels who are resistant to change and are skeptic about the effectiveness of e-Governance.

In order to navigate the challenges in implementation of e Governance initiatives, Govt has put in place massive infrastructure through public institutions, schools, panchayats etc. Huge emphasis is being laid on trainings and IEC activities regarding initiatives taken by Govt under the Digital J&K programme. These measures are helping people to avail benefits from the various e-governance schemes.

2. E-Governance initiatives often require substantial funding. How have you/Govt secured and managed the financial resources for JaKeGA's projects, and what strategies have you/Govt employed to ensure long-term sustainability?

Ans: Government at UT as well as GOI level has been instrumental for the same. Various MMPs are being funded by Central Government. Also several critical projects like e-office, SDC, DVC have been funded by UT Govt. Proper budget is in place for these projects. JaKeGA has also adopted steps to generate revenue and become self-sustainable by putting various revenue models in place for delivery of services. Recently

3. Jammu and Kashmir has a diverse population with varying levels of digital literacy. How has JaKeGA addressed the issue of digital inclusion, and what initiatives have been implemented to bridge the digital divide in the region?

Ans: Education is a key factor in providing solution to the digital divide. J&K embarked on a master-plan named Digital J&K to transform itself to “digitally empowered society and knowledge economy,” with three things in focus. These were – digital infrastructure, digital governance and services and digital empowerment of citizens. Various policy and investment measures have been undertaken with notable accomplishments.

Community Technology centers like the Common Service Centers (CSCs) and Skill Development Centres have been put in place for digital literacy among persistently poor populations. Schools, Colleges and Universities provide technology training to those enrolled in their programs. Various schemes like ESDM, NSDC, PMKY and other skill development schemes have been launched by Government. Various capacity building programs are also organized by JaKeGA time to time for digital literacy.

It’s not just the government who has to bridge the divide, the common people and private organizations / Start-ups who have excelled in their respective fields have a responsibility too. It is our duty to enable everyone to get the most from the Internet to prevent social exclusion and create a more vibrant and unified society. 

4. Cybersecurity is a critical concern in the digital age, particularly when dealing with sensitive government data. How does JaKeGA ensure the security and privacy of citizens' information, and what measures are in place to counter potential cyber threats?

Ans: We have upgraded State Data Centre with state of art infra where high end firewalls, Intrusion Prevention System are in place. Several security softwares such as anti-spyware, anti-malware and anti-virus programs, to help detect and remove malicious code are also in place. JaKeGA frequently organizes workshops related to cyber security in order to create cyber awareness among Government Departments. JaKeGA has used multifactor authentication for ensuring the security of various applications. Further, with the support from CERT-In, JaKeGA has established honey pot sensors in SDC besides National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) has also been established for the purpose which will definitely counter potential cyber threats.

5. E-Governance projects often involve collaboration between various government departments and agencies. How do you foster effective interdepartmental cooperation to ensure the success of JaKeGA's initiatives? 

Ans: Under the great leadership and guidance of Hon’ble LG and Worthy CS J&K, we are able to get good cooperation from the departments with respect to dissemination of e-Governance initiatives upto the grass root level.

6. Keeping up with technological advancements is crucial in the e-Governance domain. How do you stay informed about emerging technologies, and how do you decide which ones are worth integrating into JaKeGA's projects? 

Ans: A “never stop learning” attitude keeps everyone open to new information, inventive approaches, and progressive techniques. Read on to learn some simple ways to establish a knowledge-learning mindset within JaKeGA and help team to stay up-to-date with the latest innovations advancing your industry.

We keep organizing various trainings and capacity building programs for officers from JaKeGA as well as other Government Departments on latest technological advancements and emerging technologies.

Further, we have established Software Development Cell, wherein we have hired the specialist who are good in emerging Technologies. JaKeGA organized various internship programme wherein we select the young professionals who have just passed out and are well updated with latest emerging technological trends.

The emerging technologies found feasible with our ongoing projects are being integrated. We are also trying to replicate the various emerging Technologies initiatives which are rolled out at National Level in our UT.

7. JaKeGA's initiatives aim to improve government services and enhance citizen engagement. Can you share some specific success stories or case studies that demonstrate the positive impact of e-Governance in Jammu and Kashmir? 

Ans: Well. the list can go on. But here I would like to share couple of success stories with you.

Aapki Zameen — AapkiNigrani (AZAN)Land Records Information System.

In tune with the endeavor of the Government to make governance truly transparent and accountable in J&K, the Revenue Department under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) has come up with a path breaking initiative of providing online access to the Land Records Information System thereby reducing manipulation of land records and improving the efficiency of revenue offices substantially.

This is the most transparent way of providing status of land records to the citizens, to their convenience at click of a button. A Landowner can easily see the status of correctness of his / her land, as updated in revenue record on http://landrecords.jk.gov.in.without visiting a revenue office and can also register grievances online on this portal for any corrections/rectifications. 

e-Office

Governance activities center around creation of files, notings in the file, decisions at various levels, and finally issuing decisions as letters and notifications. Any request to the Government goes through an elaborate processing of different stages called workflow.

The non-electronic mode results in manual interventions ,physical file movement, wear and tear of files, issues of file getting lost, abstraction, delay and no performance monitoring. In order to overcome the said issues, e-Office was implemented in UT of J&K. In 2 years 400+ offices were on boarded on e-office. The practice of Darbar Move is saving approx. 400 Cr year on year of the UT exchequer. Many other remarkable initiatives have been taken by the Government in the last few years.

8. E-Governance projects can sometimes face resistance or skepticism from traditionalists. How do you address such challenges and gain buy-in from stakeholders who may be apprehensive about digital transformation?

Ans: Of course, yes. E-Governance projects do face resistance or skepticism from citizens as well as employees who are apprehensive about digital transformation. Information and communication technology (ICT) has become one of the basic building blocks of modern society.

It is generally believed that ICT has considerable potential to improve governance capabilities and transform relations with customers. However, many employees don’t see e-Government revolution as an opportunity, but as a threat for their future: they are afraid to lose their jobs.

There are several good practices adopted by JaKeGA to address such challenges and gain buy-in from stakeholders who may be apprehensive about digital transformation. Here are some examples:

1.   User-centric design: E-governance initiatives are being designed with the needs and preferences of citizens in mind.

2.   Accessibility: E-governance initiatives have been designed to be accessible to all citizens, including people with disabilities. This means ensuring that online services are compatible with assistive technologies, and providing alternative formats for people who may have difficulty accessing online content.

3.   Interoperability: E-governance initiatives should be designed to be interoperable, so that different systems can work together seamlessly. This means using open standards and open data, and ensuring that different systems can communicate with each other.

4.  Capacity building: Government is investing in training and capacity building programs of employees to support e-governance initiatives. Several training programs are also arranged for making citizens aware of about online services and benefits. Various other mediums like awareness through Radio, TV and other mediums is also used.

5.  Improved citizens participatory by Evaluation and feedback: E-governance initiatives are being evaluated regularly to determine their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Feedbacks are solicited from citizens to understand their experiences with online services, and used to make improvements to e-governance initiatives.

9. One of the objectives of JaKeGA is to increase transparency and accountability in governance. How do you ensure that the technology deployed supports these goals and does not inadvertently lead to new challenges or loopholes? 

Ans: With the introduction of e-office the productivity of conducting Government Business has been improved. The Government now keeps track of the file movement and also checks the pendency at various levels bringing transparency and accountability in governance across all offices in UT.

The delivery of various services online like birth certificate, revenue extracts, various permissions etc with proper monitoring and feedback mechanism like Rapid Assessment System and Auto Appeal System for listening to the Grievances of the public will certainly ensure transparently and accountability in e-Governance.

10. Scalability is an important consideration for any e-Governance project, especially in a region with a large and diverse population like Jammu and Kashmir. How does JaKeGA approach scalability in its solutions, and what steps are taken to accommodate future growth and changes in demand? 

Ans: The last few years have seen unprecedented growth in the size, complexity, and capacity of IT systems. One thing we can guarantee is that more and more software systems will need to be built with constant growth—more requests, more data, and more analysis—as a primary design driver.

Organizations are increasingly demanding that their IT systems remain available under all conditions, including network outages, vendor failures, natural disasters – and sudden, increased load. The JaKeGA is approaching scalability from a high-availability perspective; a system is being designed to ‘scale through’ failure modes and deliver reliable performance under variable load.

JaKeGA has taken several steps for the same. JaKeGA is working to ensure maximum services are made online. The JaKeGA has already upgraded State Data Centre, which can be used for hosting these services besides other applications. The approach to use modern technologies , like block chain, cloud computing, hybrid cloud , etc with scalability in this context at front of mind should provide UT of J&K in the most usable, manageable and essentially scalable way possible. The Govt. has already brought services at Grass root level using SWAN and DVC centres. Further expansion of these centres, to ensure connectivity to each and every block of UT of J&K has also been already initiated. The process of onboarding disaster recovery has already been initiated. Characteristics like simpler packaging, metering and pricing models, when combined with automation to provide self-healing and disaster recovery (DR) features are the ingredients to enable a Govt. of UT of J&K to respond to unpredictable work load expansions and frequent technology updates more competently.

11. Data analytics and big data play a crucial role in decision-making and policy formulation. How does JaKeGA leverage data to drive insights and enhance the effectiveness of government services?

Ans: Government is embracing data-driven decision-making as a powerful tool in an increasingly interconnected world. But using this methodology to drive policy formulation and enhance public services still holds many opinions. The fusion of technology and governance has immense potential, particularly in a country like India, where technological advancements and foreign development initiatives rapidly transform the socio-economic landscape.

In the realm of policy formulation, data-driven decision-making offers an evidence-based approach that helps eliminate biases and subjective judgments. Technologists in India can play a pivotal role by developing advanced analytics tools and techniques to analyze large datasets, enabling policymakers to make informed decisions. This integration of technology and governance ensures that policies are based on robust data insights, leading to more effective and targeted outcomes. By harnessing the power of data, governments can make evidence-based decisions, optimize resource allocation, and better understand the needs and preferences of their citizens.

Enhanced Public Services: Public services are the backbone of any nation, and leveraging data can significantly improve their delivery and efficiency. By harnessing the power of technology, governments can collect, analyze, and interpret vast amounts of data to identify areas of improvement and optimize resource allocation. Tech-savvy individuals can contribute by developing innovative mobile applications, chatbots, and data-driven platforms that streamline citizen-government interactions, facilitate service delivery, and enhance governance. The insights available from data analysis enable the government to identify pressing issues, prioritize policy interventions, and assess the potential outcomes of different policy options.

Data-driven decision-making also equips governments with the ability to develop early warning systems and predictive analytics models. By analyzing historical data, governments can identify patterns and indicators that precede potential crises, such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or economic downturns. This foresight allows governments to take proactive measures, allocate resources, and implement preventive strategies to mitigate the impact of such events. Furthermore, predictive analytics can help forecast future trends, enabling governments to anticipate changing needs and plan accordingly, fostering resilience and adaptability.

Data-driven decision-making in government holds immense promise for India's policy formulation and public service delivery. The collaboration between the government, technology, foreign development partners, and stakeholders can harness the trans-formative power of data to address socio-economic challenges, improve governance, and enhance the lives of citizens. However, it is vital to ensure responsible data governance, privacy protection, and ethical considerations when utilizing data in the government sector. By embracing this approach, India can unlock its full potential and pave the way for a data-driven future, making informed decisions that positively impact its people and propel the nation towards more remarkable progress and development. 

12. With the rapid advancement of AI and automation, there are concerns about potential job displacement. How does JaKeGA strike a balance between leveraging technology to streamline processes and ensuring job security for government employees? 

Ans: The rise of AI in the workplace may provoke anxiety, but it also presents an opportunity for growth and evolution. By dispelling the mysteries surrounding AI, understanding its limitations, and leveraging our unique human qualities, we can navigate this transformative period with confidence. As AI assumes more routine tasks, employees can embrace more meaningful and fulfilling work that showcases their distinctive skills. Rather than succumbing to fear, let us seize the potential of AI as a catalyst for positive change and collectively shape a future where humans and machines collaborate to unlock new frontiers of innovation and productivity.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has stirred anxiety among employees regarding the potential impact on their jobs and identities. However, understanding AI and embracing its potential can alleviate these concerns. By demystifying AI, recognizing its limitations, and seizing new opportunities, workers can confidently navigate the evolving job landscape and embrace a future where humans and AI collaborate harmoniously.

13. E-Governance initiatives require strong leadership and strategic vision. Can you elaborate on your long-term vision for JaKeGA and how you plan to achieve it over the next 5 to 10 years? 

Ans: a) Digital Infrastructure as a core utility to Every Citizen:

• Availability of high speed internet as a core utility for delivery of services to citizens
• Cradle to grave digital identity that is unique, lifelong, online and authenticable to every citizen
• Mobile phone & bank account enabling citizen participation in digital & financial space
• Easy access to a Common Service Centre
• Shareable private space on a public cloud
• Safe and secure cyber-space

b) Governance & Services on Demand:

• Seamlessly integrated services across departments or jurisdictions
• Availability of services in real time from online & mobile platforms
• All citizen entitlements to be portable and available on the cloud
• Digitally transformed services for improving ease of doing business
• Making financial transactions electronic & cashless
• Leveraging Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) for decision support systems & development.

c) Digital Empowerment of Citizens:

• Universal digital literacy
• Universally accessible digital resources
• Availability of digital resources / services in Indian languages
• Collaborative digital platforms for participative governance
• Citizens not required to physically submit Govt. documents / certificates

14. As the CEO, how do you measure the success and impact of JaKeGA's projects, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) do you use to assess their effectiveness?

Ans: The Projects implemented by JaKeGA have unprecedented impact on changing scenario of working in UT of J&K. We can begin with e-office project , which not only saved Rs 400 Cr every year but also ensured Simplified, Responsive, Effective, Accountable and Transparent working in Government offices.The speed and efficiency of eOffice not only assists departments in informed and quicker decision but also makes them go paperless.

Besides, various online services and projects like Aapki Zameen — AapkiNigrani (AZAN) Land Records Information System have changed whole scenarios. These e-services ensured delivery of huge bouquet of day to day services required at doorsteps of citizens bringing more efficiency, enhanced services to better serve citizens, better accessibility of public services, more transparency and accountability of government. This has also ensured more transparency for the government because it enables the public to be informed about what government is working on and the policies which are enforced.

Similarly, infrastructure projects like SDC, SWAN, DVC, etc have ensured connectivity and reach ability for farthest areas and at grass root level. The feedback from the public and various officer/officials from various mediums is the key performance indicators for effective e-governance. Further, a separate mechanism is available, for each type of service or project which gives us transactional and other figures to monitor performance of services delivered by JaKeGA.

15. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can often enhance the success of e-Governance projects. Can you share examples of successful PPPs that JaKeGA has engaged in and the key factors that contributed to their success?

Ans: State Wide Area Network (SWAN):

State Wide Area Network (SWAN) is one of the core pillars for ushering digital initiatives in e-Governance space in the country. SWAN aims to create a dedicated converged network for Data, Video & Voice communications throughout the UT of J&K. It intends to provide better governance by ensuring reliable communication network for secured and high speed connectivity. The aim is to connect all Block Headquarters (BHQs) to the State Headquarters (SHQs) through District Headquarters (DHQs) and hence will provide vertical connectivity by establishing Point of Presence at UT, District and Block Level. It is also facilitating horizontal connectivity at District & block level. The main purpose of SWAN network is to create a dedicated Closed User Group (CUG) network and provide secure and high speed connectivity for Government functioning by connecting SHQ, DHQs & BHQs. The network will facilitate inter-District and inter-Departmental connectivity, multi-user and multi-service facilities, video conferencing, email, online application processing. Furthermore SWAN will enable better communication and information sharing to allow the officers to work more effectively, resulting in cohesive administration.

Establishment of ICT Labs and CAL Centres:

Project for Establishment of ICT/CAL Labs in Schools comprises of introduction of IT enabled services in the field of education. Mode of Education with the application of ICT/CAL labs and smart classrooms make better implication and understanding of the concepts of education among the masses. IT Enabled Services can be applied in the field with establishment of digital smart classrooms and ICT/CAL Labs in the government schools of J&K. JaKeGA, IT department has established 382 CAL centers and 630 ICT labs in Government Schools in all the districts of Jammu and Kashmir under Samagra Shiksha in 1012 schools in J&K.

State Data Centre:

JK SDC has been established for the state to consolidate its services, application and infrastructure to provide efficient electronic delivery of government to government (G2G), government to citizen (G2C) and Government to Business (G2B) services. JKSDC has been established to provide adequate space to house the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) assets of various departments within the UT in an environment that meets the needs for reliability, availability, scalability, security and interoperability. IT enables various departments to host their services /applications on a common infrastructure leading to ease of integration and efficient management, ensuring that computing resources and support connectivity infrastructure is adequately and optimally used. The SDC is operational since March 2013. Currently around over 200 websites/Applications are deployed at State Data Centre (SDC) from different government departments. Besides webhosting various application like (State Portal under SSDG and e-Services like Direct Benefit Transfer Application (IGNOAPS), Prisons Application,  Domicile Application etc are also deployed in SDC. The said SDC project got completed in 2018 and new project “Modernization, Management & Operations of State Data Centre Jammu” for sustainability of State Data Centre was initiated by J&K e-Governance Agency, IT Department in 2019.The project is under implementation and will cater the requirement of compute resources for hosting of various e-Governance initiatives of various departments in UT of J&K.

Digital Village Centres:

JaKeGA has implemented “Back to Village via Digital Means” in 44 villages of 20 districts of J&K on pilot basis. Each digital village has been established as an integrated administrative unit with Block, District and Secretariat through digital interventions.

This enables Government to disseminate its programme and policies through a readily available system. Every village panchayat in these 44 villages has been equipped with IT infrastructure and connectivity such as video conferencing equipment, LED, Desktop Computer, WiFi, hotspot etc. Thus, making rural population of particular Panchayat to have access to the digital world.

16. Given the unique geographical and social challenges of Jammu and Kashmir, how do you ensure that e-Governance solutions are customized and tailored to the specific needs of the region's population? 

Ans: On directions of Hon’ble LG and worthy CS J&K, we have introduced various feedback mechanisms like Rapid Assessment System (RAS) to understand specific needs of the region’s population. Accordingly, e-Governance solutions are customized and tailored to the specific needs of the region's population. Government of UT of J&K has also introduced back to village programme. The ‘Back to Village’ programme is aimed to involve the people of the state and government officials in a joint effort to deliver the mission of equitable development. The feedback received through various such programs organized by UT government helps in requirement analysis and development of customized and tailor made-Governance solutions as per specific needs of the region's population.

17. With the increasing use of mobile devices and smartphones, how does JaKeGA approach mobile-based e-Governance solutions, and what steps are taken to ensure accessibility and usability for citizens across different devices?

Ans: M-governance is a sub-domain of e-governance. It ensures that electronic services are available to people via mobile technologies using devices such as mobile phones. These services bypass the need for traditional physical networks for communications and collaboration. Mobile services are also cheaper as well as accessible in most of the rural areas in India.

Increasing the mobile phone accessibility, adaptability and with the millions of subscription base, governments are promoting and using the mobile phone in delivery the e-Governance services. In the last few years, governments have seen mobile phones can empower citizens and affect the way citizens interact with each other and with society at large. Mobile phones are also considered to be an effective tool in strengthening democracy through better citizen-government interaction, thus influencing the political decision making process and making governments accountable for their activities.

• Web sites of all Government Departments and Agencies shall be made mobile-compliant, using the “One Web” approach.
• Open standards shall be adopted for mobile applications for ensuring the inter-operability of applications across various operating systems and devices as per the Government Policy on Open Standards for e-Governance.
• Uniform/ single pre-designated numbers (long and short codes) shall be used for mobile-based services to ensure convenience.
• All Government Departments and Agencies shall develop and deploy mobile applications for providing all their public services through mobile devices to the extent feasible on the mobile platform. They shall also specify the service levels for such service.

UT Government has recently launched Apka Dost mobile dost mobile app with the help of which all Government to Citizen Services are available through user friendly mobile app.

18. The digital landscape is ever-evolving, and unexpected disruptions can occur. How does JaKeGA plan for and address potential risks to ensure business continuity and uninterrupted services for citizens? 

Ans: In order to ensure the BCP, JaKeGA has proposed various solutions to the Government like Near Line Disaster Site, Technical DR solution for safe guarding critical eGovernance data hosted at Primary location i.e JKSDC. Further, JaKeGA is in the process of engaging the Cloud DR service provider in other seismic zone. This will definitely ensure the uninterrupted services to the citizens and Government servants. Also various other security measures are taken as already informed you.

19. Government agencies often struggle with data silos and fragmented systems. How does JaKeGA integrate various systems and databases to create a seamless experience for citizens accessing government services?

Ans: JaKeGA has established Software Development Unit which is comprising of 35 manpower resources. The 35 manpower resources are dedicatedly working for various software related projects which is under development in UT of J&K. The intermediate layer has been developed by JaKeGA which is facilitating the integration of discrete systems with uniform system.

Several, notifications and circulars are also being issued by the department for ensuring to avoid development is silos and ensuring working on common platform. One such example is use of Service Plus meta-data based e-Service delivery framework by NIC which is built on Low Code–No Code (LCNC) architecture for delivering electronic-services to citizens. More than 400 online services for various departments of UT of J&K have been developed on common platform Service Plus. Further, the vision of JaKeGA is to create the uniform Database which would facilitate the Government with easy availability of services to the masses. 

20. Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the e-Governance and technology domain, particularly those aiming to drive digital transformation in challenging environments like Jammu and Kashmir? 

Ans: Digital transformation isn’t just a technology strategy; it’s a strategy to leverage technology to enable new business models, new products and services, and new strategies — and drive business growth.

But to capture the opportunities, aspiring leaders in the e-Governance and technology domain, particularly those aiming to drive digital transformation in challenging environments like Jammu and Kashmir must look at and beyond technology and data to propel their organizations into the digital vanguard. Aspiring leaders need to spot the business potential in emerging technologies and formulate winning strategies accordingly. They also need the capabilities to lead digital transformation and innovation initiatives effectively.

Think of the technologies we're talking about right now. Blockchain has shifted in terms of what people are asking and how they are understanding it. Artificial intelligence continues to grow in interest and excitement. The Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing are almost acting in parallel in the opposite direction.

Proximity is key. You have to place people with IT skills in the business units and you need to place people with business skills in IT units. It's important to understand the environment clients need to look at: where they're trying to play, what is required, what are the new digital competencies and where do they need to invest?

Specifically, with new strategic plans, old processes may not work. You may need to do more planning more frequently. You may need to have longer time horizons, change what you're planning for and what you're piloting, or find the proofs of concept that are important for driving change in the business or internal operating models.