SYLLABUS

GS-2: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential.

Context: Recently, the National Conference on e-Governance 2025 in Visakhapatnam showcased digital transformation in civil services and honoured Gram Panchayats through the National e-Governance Awards 2025.

Key Highlights of the Conference

• The conference was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who highlighted the state’s longstanding tradition of pioneering reforms in governance.
• The conference was jointly organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
• The theme of the 2025 conference was “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation.”
• The conference covered topics including artificial intelligence for governance, civil service transformation, agricultural data management, cyber security, and citizen-centric service delivery.
• The conference will conclude with the adoption of the Visakhapatnam Declaration, which will chart a roadmap for India’s future in e-Governance.
• As part of the conference, the National e-Governance Awards 2025 were conferred, recognizing innovative digital service delivery initiatives by Gram Panchayats.

National e-Governance Awards 2025

• A record 44 lakh nominations were received nationwide for the awards.
• The following Gram Panchayats were awarded under the newly introduced category, “Grassroots-level initiatives in Gram Panchayats for deepening service delivery”-
  • Gold Award: Rohini Gram Panchayat, Dhule, Maharashtra
  • Silver Award: West Majlishpur Gram Panchayat, Tripura
  • Jury Award: Palsana Gram Panchayat, Gujarat
  • Jury Award: Suakati Gram Panchayat, Odisha
• The awards included a trophy, a certificate, and financial incentives of Rs. 10 lakh for Gold award and Rs. 5 lakh for Silver award to reinvested in strengthening citizen-centric initiatives.

National Conference on e-Governance

• The National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) is the premier forum in India to discuss, share, and promote best practices, policies, and innovations in the field of e-Governance.
• Its purpose is to provide a platform for government officials, experts, industry leaders, and academia to deliberate on new trends in digital governance, showcase successful initiatives, and encourage replication of effective models across States and Union Territories.
• The conference focuses on advancing the goal of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” by enhancing transparency, efficiency, citizen service delivery, and inclusive digital growth.
• It was first started in 1997, jointly organized by the DARPG, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in partnership with one State Government.
• The conference has become an annual institutional platform for discussing new challenges, harnessing ICT, and building a roadmap for transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
  

Source:
Puducherry
NCEG
PIB
PIB