Kiran Jonnalagadda’s Blog

At Shanboganahalli, Ramnagara, Bangalore, Oct 1, 2006.

Rajeev Chawla, e-Governance Secretary, explains the system to Jagadish Shettar, Revenue Minister, while Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy examines a computer generated certificate.

Mr Shettar inaugurated the Government of Karnataka’s “Nemmadi” project in the presence of Mr Kumaraswamy on October 1. 800 telecentres will be opened across Karnataka by early 2007, offering a variety of governmental and non-governmental services to citizens. The current roll-out focuses on Revenue Department services, but other departments are expected to include their presence too. The project is being executed by the consortium of 3i Infotech, Comat Technologies and n-Logue Communications.

Yours truly has a bit role in the proceedings and is very much enjoying the view from his vantage point. Perks include being able to slip into the room in advance, in position for a good shot, before the paparazzi jam the place.

In all seriousness though, while the work can get uncomfortable sometimes — the technology’s nothing extraordinary, the quality of the software, especially that which manages sensitive information, can send shudders down the column, and the rush to digitise records makes the process suspect — it’s worth being here to verify a premise: that “bridging the digital divide” (if you’ll forgive the jargon dropping) may be achieved not just by reducing the cost of technology until it is more widely affordable, but also by deploying the technology in a manner that reduces barriers to participating in the larger economy, without bringing the technology itself to the forefront. For a blunt example, that would be the difference between handing out computers to individuals, vs opening an information centre that is not owned by anyone in the neighbourhood, doesn’t give them the run of the place, but does give them access to the sort of information they likely need to make the most of their existing occupations.