According to a survey conducted by research agency IDC and IT publication Dataquest Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi have emerged as the top three e-governed states of 2008-09. On the other hand, Karnataka and Kerala have recorded the highest drop in e-Governance satisfaction

 

The results of the survey are based on an assessment of every state's IT vision, implementation and ease of use of services along with IT allocation for new projects in 2007-08, implementation of these projects, and user satisfaction among 3,150 citizens and businesses.

 

Though in top three, Delhi two ranks from the position of No. 1 last year. Tamil Nadu led the business satisfaction score outperforming other states on most parameters like license and permits, financial assistance, incentives and grants, sales tax and municipal corporation. West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar were the worst 3 e-governed states.

 

According to the report, the top performing states took a dip in rankings which means that retention of service quality and ease of interaction are vital for e-governance initiatives in certain states.

 

E-governance has now become a top priority for the government. The Union Budget for 2008-09 increased the allocation to the department of information technology by 12% to Rs 1,680 crore. The scheme for establishing 1 lakh Common Service Centers (CSCs) and setting up State Wide Area Networks (SWANs) across states is expected to be completed by mid-2009.