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The Government announced the State Wide Area Network (SWAN) Policy for giving a fillip to creation of infrastructure for e-Governance in the States. Announcing the Policy at a Press Conference, here today, the Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Shri Dayanidhi Maran stated that National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) of the UPA Government has accorded high priority to the promotion of e-Governance on a massive scale. He recalled that promotion and implementation of e-governance were the key elements of the ten-point agenda as announced by him for the Department of Information Technology, shortly after assuming office.
Shri Maran further said that wide area network form the core-shared network for e-governance. The scheme is expected to provide a major fillip to rapid spread of high speed, high capacity, reliable network connectivity for government-to-government upto the Block Level. Shri Maran anticipated that it would constitute a major incentive to States for rapid adoption of e-governance to provide fastest, more accessible services to citizens and business. He stated that it would throw up a range of option for providing reliable broadband connectivity to kiosks and service centres in urban, semi-urban and rural areas for electronic delivery of services including government services. This would bring the benefits of modern information and communication technologies and the services that they can enable to vast majority of citizens particularly those in remote and rural areas.
Shri Maran said that National e-Governance Action Plan (NEGAP), which is under evolution, has two dimensions. The first is a set of Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) that aims at improving delivery of services to citizens and businesses. These improvements relate to the speed, reliability, accessibility and transparency in delivery of various kinds of government services. These projects are spread across the Central, State and local government levels. They span both urban and rural areas. Various ministries, departments and organizations are implementing them. The second dimension comprises certain supporting components that are necessary to enable and facilitate these projects. One such key component is the establishment of core network infrastructure including secure Wide Area Networks within the Government. These networks could also be used for other developmental activities and programmes like education, health and so on.
He further said that network connectivity is a significant enabler of any modern, efficient administration. In our country, the Development Block is the basic tier of the development administration, particularly for rural areas. Provision of reliable network connectivity, particularly for rural areas, is an imperative. It has, therefore, been decided that high-speed, high capacity (minimum 2 Mbps), reliable network connectivity for Government-to-Government communication will be extended up to the Block level through State Wide Area Networks and/or NICNET. The latter is currently being run by the National Informatics Centre i.e. NIC, primarily as a VSAT based network up to the District level.
The policy intends that various e-Governance projects, which would be implemented in a phased manner over the next 4-5 years by the Line Ministries/Departments concerned at the Central and State levels may avail themselves of seamless connectivity using these State Wide Area Networks (SWAN) and NICNET. This network connectivity could also be progressively leveraged to provide services electronically to citizens at the village level by extending its reach through wireless and other technologies relevant for the last mile. The recently announced Broadband Policy would be relevant in this context, Shri Maran recalled.
Shri Maran said that the Department of Information Technology (DIT) is primarily responsible for establishing this shared Core backbone Infrastructure identified in NEGAP. Guidelines have been issued laying down the modalities for technical and financial support that will be provided by DIT to the States for establishing State Area Wide Networks (SWAN). These include the technical and administrative norms to be followed by the States, depending on the implementation option adopted by each State to establish the SWAN. The detailed guidelines are available on web site www.pib.nic.in
Elaborating further, Shri Maran said that the intra-State Network will be established linking the State Headquarters right up to the Block Headquarters and the Tehsil Headquarters (if different from the block Hqrs.) through the District Headquarters and the Sub-Divisional Headquarters (as applicable). These networks would be connected to NICNET through appropriate interfaces in the form of gateways. This would enable Inter-State Connectivity. Departments/ Organizations of the Government of India and the State government could use dial-up, leased lines, radio frequency (RF) and wireless connectivity at the Block headquarters and at all other higher administrative levels to provide last mile connectivity to various local offices.
Giving details of policy components for rural areas Shri Maran said that DIT is currently considering various options for facilitating establishment of Common Services Centres (CSC) across the country particularly in rural areas. This is one of the Mission Mode Projects under NEGAP that have been assigned to DIT for implementation. In this context, the Department of IT is evolving policy guidelines delineating the nature and quantum of support that would be provided by Government for establishment of Common Services Centres with active participation of State Governments, NGOs and various Service Providers. The guidelines will also address the issue of optimal leveraging of the SWANs through the use of wireless and other technologies to provide, among other things, connectivity to village level service centres or kiosks delivering government and other services in the electronic mode, he said.
Some of the services that can be delivered electronically are: land and property records and transactions, agricultural information and credit-related services, payment of electricity, water and telephone charges, issue of various certificates like birth, death, caste, income, school etc., filing of applications for various development schemes, pensions, grievances, driving licences, passports, etc. Education, health and veterinary services can also benefit from these delivery systems. Filing of various forms and returns by individuals and businesses for income tax and commercial tax purposes can also be enabled in this mode as also issue of various kinds of licences and permits related to trade, transport and business establishments.
The highlights of the SWAN Policy Guidelines are:
States would need to furnish proposals to DIT for establishment of SWANs
DIT will meet the entire capital and operational costs of the network for a period of five years except bandwidth cost, which has to be borne by the states
A State may opt to implement the SWAN either through NIC or through any other agency selected by it
States will have to provide bandwidth of at least 2 Mbps up to block level by entering into contracts with BSNL or any other operator
BSNL has offered a special tariff package to DIT for SWANs with a 90% discount
DIT will facilitate the execution of agreements between BSNL and the States desirous of availing themselves of this package
In order to be eligible for funding support, a State should have undertaken implementation of at least three major statewide e-governance projects that require such connectivity. At least one of these should have been completely rolled out over the entire state
Service Level Agreements would be entered into to ensure quality and reliability of service
Guidelines for Security, Standardization, Interoperability and Interconnect requirements will be issued by NIC
Shri Maran said that along with the establishment of SWANs, NICNET would also be augmented as a backbone for enhanced interstate and state-centre connectivity. This would be done using leased OFC wherever feasible or state-of-the-art VSAT based technologies where appropriate and upgrading terminal equipment at state and district headquarters.
Giving the cost details, Shri Maran said that it was estimated that for coverage of all states, the DIT would need to allocate around Rs. 1,000 cr. over a five-year period for this purpose. The pre-discounted cost of the bandwidth over the same period is estimated to be of a similar order of magnitude. States would need to meet the net cost of bandwidth after discount.
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