In era of e-gov, does it matter if Mamata works from Kolkata? -Governance Now

In era of e-gov, does it matter if Mamata works from Kolkata?

Samir Sachdeva | May 20, 2010

This is a decade when e-governance and information technology are the buzz words in every government office. There are examples of successful implementation of virtual offices in national and international organisations. These days it does not matter which part of the world the chief executive officer (CEO) of a company is based, he can look after his organisation through the e-controls from anywhere.

In this era, then, does it matter if railway minister Mamata Banerjee is in West Bengal (that is, after all, where her constituency as MP is) and monitors her juniors through IT tools? The distance should not be an issue especially in the case her ministry, which was the first to bring the success of IT and e-governance in India.

When a train traveler can book a ticket for his journey from anywhere in the world through the IRCTC website, why should there be location constraints on the minister? If meetings can happen through videoconferencing, decisions can be taken on e-mails and the files can travel over a secure virtual network, do we need the minister to still come to Rail Bhawan and sign the attendance register?

So, in the era of technology innovation, does it matter if a minister operates from Delhi or Kolkata?

Comments

Other News

EU–India FTA 2026: A high‑stakes prescription for Indian pharma and healthcare

India’s pharmaceutical industry stands as one of the world’s market leaders of generic pharmacy with market valuation of USD 50 billion in 2026. Characterised by high volume, low-cost generic manufacturing, with an annual growth rate of 10-12% primarily propelled by exports and domestic demand,

Legends, vignettes and tales from the freedom movement

Robin Hood of Kathiawar and Other Extraordinary Stories from India’s Freedom Movement By The Paperclip HarperCollins, 348 pages, Rs 499

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta tells quirky tales from the world of law

The Lawful and the Awful: Quirky Tales from the World of Law By Tushar Mehta Rupa Publications, 336 pages, Rs 995

Cabinet meet discussed `Ease of Living`, `Ease of Doing Business`

The Council of Ministers has deliberated upon valuable perspectives and best practices relating to boosting ‘Ease of Living’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business’, prime minister Narendra Modi said on Friday. As he shared details of the Council meeting held the d

India should deepen energy partnerships with Africa

The vulnerability of Strait of Hormuz continues to influence energy politics globally. India is highly dependent on imported crude oil as a significant portion of its oil imports still come from the Gulf ultimately making such disruptions particularly consequential and has immediate economic ramifications

The rupee stumbles: Can India Inc. chip in?

Every time the Indian rupee weakens to a new record low, the conversation follows a familiar script. The RBI intervenes. Economists debate the current account deficit. The government appeals to citizens to cut consumption. And within a few news cycles, attention moves on, until the next record low arrives.