ICT in Rural Development : Towards effective Governance SASAR M&E Workshop by Shashank Ojha Sr. e-Government Specialist e-Government Practice - ISG The

ICT in Rural Development : Towards effective GovernanceSASAR M&E Workshop

byShashank Ojha

Sr. e-Government Specialiste-Government Practice - ISG

The World Bank

The World Bank

Shashank Ojha - The World Bank 2

Background

Background• 2/3 of Population in Rural India – 25 % share in GDP• Farmers increasingly getting marginalized – both

economically and politically• Flawed business model – heavy investment in inputs,

high debt operations, crop failure, lack of institutional credit / crop insurance, MSP below Mkt. Price etc.

• Farmer not assured of a ‘minimum return’ on his labour and investment

• Survival of Indian Farmer – Uncertainly of income, unbearable debts, loss of status, inability to understand economic and political factors responsible for downslide, Bankruptcy and suicides


E- Governance - Lessons

ICT in Rural Development• Very wide scope - high potential area !• High Risk – High Returns projects !• Difficulties abound

– Delayed, limited functionality, budget over- runs

• Financial Sustainability– Rarely achieved - Business Models / PPPs ?

• Grassroots consultation – client focus !– Top down approach rarely works !

• Local language / Locally relevant content– English content, illiteracy, target audience ?

• Sector level Solutions !



Need for a Overall Framework

• Piecemeal approach is normally ineffective

• Need to develop a Framework - to achieve benefits of integration & effectiveness

• Adhoc approach, standalone systems and multiplicity of databases create more problems

• Business Process Re-engineering is the key.



Need for a Overall Strategy

100 Ideal Point

DTechnicalMaturity

( ICT )

A

B C

0 Govt. Systems - Policies & Process 100Maturity


Key Components

Agriculture Portal - Uttaranchal Govt.


Key Components

Rural Digital Services

Bird’s eye view

RDS Data

Centre

Secretariat

Department 2Department 11

KIOSK 2

CitizenCitizen Citizen

KIOSK 3KIOSK 1

Department 11 Department 11

Department 11 Department 11

State Level

Dist Level

TalukLevel

Village Level

Rural Citizen Services


Key Components

Panchayati Raj Institutions

Vision of the state using I.T. in PRI for

Improving efficiency of functioning.

Better accounts keeping

Transparency

Decision support for planning

Faster flow of information / reports / utilization

Information sharing & reaching out to the people

Resource Mobilization


Key Components

Forest Management Systems PLANTATION ESTABLISHMENT

SITE PREPARATION ACTIVITIES

PLANTING RELATED

ACTIVITIES

PERIODIC PLANTATION MONITORING

AT SITE

UPDATE

UPDATE

1. Preparation of site map, 2. Start plantation preparation work 3. Site clearance 4. Align and mark sites for pits and trenches

etc., 5. Demarcation of inspection paths and fire

lines, digging of pits, trenches, cpt/erect barbed wire fence

6. Digging and constructing soil moisture conservation structures, irrigation channels, apply prophylactic insecticides to pits and other soil work, weathering of pits/trenches/bunds and the corresponding expenditure on each activity

1. Prepare plantation board

2. Construct/ repair road for transport of seedling

3. Refill pits 4. Sow seed on

trenches/CPT/bunds etc.

5. Transport seedlings from nursery

6. Plant seedlings 7. Irrigate seedlings 8. Replace mortality 9. Undertake scrapping

and weeding 10. Clear fire lines 11. Control burn fire lines 12. Expenditure for each

activity

1. Monitoring of plantation 2. Monitor plantation

survival 3. Monitor av. plant height 4. Monitor expenditure 5. Monitor plantation health 6. Compare plantation

health with previous efforts

7. Compare with planned estimates

8. Monitor socioeconomic benefits

9. Record plantation establishment time and costs in journal

10. Record instructions on

Inter division or inter circle inspection reports

Six monthly inspections reports

Annual reports Consolidated reports

of physical and financial progress wing-wise and scheme-wise for a division, circle and entire state

CONSOLIDATION AT CIRCLE

CONSLIDATION AT HQ

CONSOLIDATION AT DIVISION

Inspection reports Appendix)

DFO AND STAFF

DFO & STAFF

DFO & Staff

DFO AND STAFF

CF

HQ & CCF


Key Components

Rural Cooperatives

ICT in Development

Milk Co-operatives

Micro Finance Cooperatives


Key Components

Rural Education - Pilot ICT in Rural Districts of Pune

ICT in Development

Mobile Computer Labs


Key Components

ITC’s e-Choupal Model


Key Components

Decision Support Systems & Knowledge Systems

Water Resources PlanningData Collation, Analysis, Planning

Basin Database

Dams Database &

Dams Safety

GISDatabase

Water Resource Management

Real Time Distribution and Control

Network maintenanceMaintenance planningCondition monitoring

Enterprise Information / Decision Support Systems

Procurement and Contracts Management

Contracts and Contractors Management Tendering and Procurement

HR

PayrollMgmt

Human Resources

PayrollMgmt

Human Resources

WRD Intranet with Messaging, Groupware, Workflow

Stakeholders Management

WUA/FarmersInfo System

Revenue Billing

Portal/Web Site for ID

Financial

Assets

AR AP

Gen Ledger

Cash Management

Planning / Budgeting

Assets

AR AP

Gen Ledger

Cash Management

Planning / Budgeting

Projects

Project Mgmt.

Application Framework Irrigation - Overall Framework


Key Components

FM Radio : Agriculture Dissemination FM Radio : Agriculture Dissemination SystemsSystems

• Latest Agriculture technologies

• Weather

• Crop, pesticides, seeds

• Govt Schemes

• Market rates

Pilot ICT Project in Pune


Key Components

Micro Finance SystemsMicro Finance Systems

Portfolio Quality. Portfolio-quality remains excellent with portfolio-at-risk > 30 days of 0.0%.

Source : SKS Microfinance


Overall Framework

AGRI. SERVICE DELIVERY Strengthening existing government Agr. programs towards the achievement of more effective and equitable delivery of services (Agr. Extn Services/ Mkt. Prices/ Finance & Insurance/ Training & Development etc.)

INNOVATIONS IN SERVICE DELIVERY Innovations in service delivery and agr. / micro financing

Program Management, Monitoring and Evaluation

Impact Evaluation (E)

DEPARTMENT

PMU

Agr. Mgt. I nformation System Functions and Features

M & E and Overall framework


Key Components

Software StrategySoftware Strategy

• COTS Vs Bespoke Development.• Integration Issues.• Licensing Policy.• Cost Effectiveness.• Open Source Software


Key Components

Hardware StrategyHardware Strategy

• Data Center Architecture.• Server Clusters.• Environmental Conditions.• Scalability Criterion.• Security.• Concurrency of the Architecture.• Uninterrupted Power Supply


Key Components

Data StrategyData Strategy

• Centralized Availability of Data.• Highest Level Organizational Support for Data

Creation Activity.• Separate Data Management Team.• Modular Data Entry Teams.• Right Size the data.( Use Live Data First)• Data Entry at the point of inception.


Key Components

Network StrategyNetwork Strategy• Network Access Requirements.• Bandwidth Requirements.• Medium for connectivity.

– Leased Lines.– VSATs– Fiber

• Connectivity Time Requirements.• Access Control.• Security of Connection.


Key Components

Web StrategyWeb Strategy• Creation of Departmental Intranets.• Seamless Integration with Internets.• Use of E-mails as a tool for capacity building.• Information Dissemination over the web as a tool to

Transparency.• Browser Based GUIs for Internal Applications.• Multi Lingual Interface.• Response Times to capture eye balls.


Key Components

People StrategyPeople Strategy• Change Management is Very Important.• Build capacity - continued Training .• Bringing in Knowledge Culture.• Creating IT environment with in RD Organizations.• Presence of Effective IT department.• ‘Buy in ‘ from the senior most management with in the

organization.• Reducing Corruption.



The World Bank / Informatics Advisory Service Shashank Ojha /

Information Systems Projects – Standards Planned Project Phases - Large Projects

Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV

IT Strategy

IT Implementation Plan

Project Implementation

Project Operations & Staff Training

Duration

Key Activities

3 Months 3 Months 1 Year 1 Year

Meet client staff and

senior management. Confirm Project vision

and objectives. Take inputs from

institutional study. Develop understanding

of client organization,systems, process locations, Staffing Etc.

Develop long / medium Term IT vision / strategy

High Level IT strategy Project Cost Estimates Project Approach Implementation Plan Project Organisation

Phase V

Project Handover & Withdrawal

6 Months

Deliverables

Detailed system study Review existing systems,

policies, procedures, staff organization.

Targeted interviews with staff & management.

Identify core activities, Data size, transaction size etc.

Develop detailed IT implementation & operation plan.

Detailed Implementation

Plan. Hardware / Software /

Network plan & RFP’s. Staff and Project

Organization. Project Costing Project Schedule. BPR Study Plan Change Mgt. Plan

Purchase and install

Hardware / Software / Network Equipment.

BPR Implementation Testing of Hardware /

Software / Network Equipment.

Master Data creation. Modules / System Intergration

Testing. Test Run. Parallel Run. Change Mgt. processes Staff Training New Staff recruitment Systems acquisition Systems installed and tested Staff recruitment Staff training completed BPR Completed Change Mgt. Completed Systems in parallel Run.

New system fully

operational. Discontinue old systems. Continuous training, support

and handholding to client staff.

Support Data Entry process and Reporting.

Support Information System operations and trouble-shooting.

System fully operational. Troubleshooting Handholding Support and Training. Complete one year cycle

Develop Handng-Over

procedures. Handover systems by

modules / subsystems. Withdraw from Client

Organization. Handover procedures Handover completed User Sign off Client staff takes over

systems.

Industry Best Practices



Industry Best Practices

Implementation Models



Project Management

Project Management - Challenges

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVESFIN. MGT

PHY. PROGRESS

FUNDS FLOWRISK MGTCNTRY RISK

DISBURSEMENT

M & E

SAFEGUARDS

STAFFING

PROCUREMENT

LEGAL

Focus on Project Management

ICT in Rural Development Sector:

Towards effective Governance

Thank you.

Documents

ICT in Rural Development : Towards effective Governance SASAR M&E Workshop by Shashank Ojha Sr. e-Government Specialist e-Government Practice - ISG The