Under the NeGP, the core IT infrastructure in the form of State Wide Area Networks (SWANs), State Data Centres (SDCs) and one lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) across the country with associated Service Delivery Gateways (routing mechanism) to deliver public services to the citizens has largely been in place. Moreover, 27 Mission Mode Projects across various Central Ministries / Departments and State Governments are at various stages of implementation. Additionally, amended IT Act 2008, the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) to facilitate electronic signatures, provision of Unique Identification numbers for every resident, increasing tele-density and broadband Internet have created the ecosystem necessary for mandating Electronic Delivery of Services in a phased manner but with definitive timelines. However, the migration of manual-based public services to the efficient, automated electronic delivery of services needs to be accelerated in terms of outputs, efficiency and also outcomes. Consequently, the most critical challenge has been to speed up the delivery of public Services (G2C) to the citizens. Therefore, it has been decided by the Government that an appropriate Electronic Delivery of Services (EDS) Act, be enacted to make it mandatory for every government organization to deliver public services in electronic mode from a cut off date. This would require each Ministry/Department to identify the basket of citizen centric services to be delivered through electronic means along with the delivery channels, with stipulated timelines and service levels for each service. Each Ministry will assess its readiness and accordingly fix the timelines for mandatory electronic service delivery. However no department will exceed a cut off date fixed for the country. Benefits would include efficient, transparent and reliable delivery of web enabled public services in a definite and time bound manner to citizens, thereby transforming Governance. This will eliminate the need for a citizen to go to Government offices to seek services.

The first draft of the ESD Bill was uploaded on DIT’s website and circulated amongst stakeholders for views and suggestions on 7th February 2011. Comments received have been reviewed and a second draft was prepared after extensive discussions and consultations. This revised draft was thereafter circulated to both various Central Government Departments and Ministries and the State Governments and suggestions obtained. DIT also held a consultative meet on 18th July on the Draft EDS Bill under the chairmanship of Shri Kapil Sibal, the Hon'ble Minister for Communications and IT and invited various stakeholders from Central Government Ministries, State Governments , Industry and Industry Associations, Civil Society Organisations and Media to participate in the consultative meet. The suggestions received by the attendees were analyzed and incorporated in the Draft EDS Bill, 2011. DIT also engaged in extensive discussions with the Legislative Department of Ministry of Law and Justice of Government of India. The draft EDS Bill,2011 as drafted by the Legislative Department is enclosed herewith263.66 KB (263 KB).