e-Governance at Grassroots Level in South Asia: A Study of Citizen-centric e-Panchayats in India

Abstract

The paper intends to underline the features of e-governance at local self-government level in rural India and examines the viability of the e-panchayats in making the local-self governance citizen-centric for efficient, responsive, cost-effective, result-oriented mechanism for faster pace of rural development. The e-panchayats also become the effective instrument of vibrant grassroots democracy by empowering people with knowledge. Theoretical tenets, application of ICT in local-level governance and outcome features have also been underlined. The focuses have also on the theoretical aspects of e-governance, followed by practical aspects, and the role of ICT in the areas of good governance and facilitating people's enhanced access to the governance, and finally on the prospects of e-governance at local level in the south Asian region.