foss based integrated software framework for e-governance and sustainable development of village...

FOSS based integrated software framework for E-FOSS based integrated software framework for E-Governance and sustainable development of Governance and sustainable development of

village panchayats.village panchayats.

Jaisen Nedumpala Jaisen Nedumpala

School of Environmental Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences,

Mahatma Gandhi University.Mahatma Gandhi University.

SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is a Sustainability is a model for futuremodel for future in which in which environmental, social and economic considerations environmental, social and economic considerations are balancedare balanced in development activities. It includes an in development activities. It includes an improved quality of lifeimproved quality of life as well. Sustainable as well. Sustainable development is a way within which development is a way within which many processes and many processes and pathways to achieve sustainabilitypathways to achieve sustainability say, sustainable say, sustainable agriculture, sustainable production and consumption, agriculture, sustainable production and consumption, good good government, research and technology transfergovernment, research and technology transfer, etc , etc (Unesco 2013).(Unesco 2013).

The Rio Declaration (Earth Summit) The Rio Declaration (Earth Summit) 19921992

Contains 27 principles, including:Contains 27 principles, including:● People are entitled to a healthy and productive life in People are entitled to a healthy and productive life in

harmony with nature;harmony with nature;● Eradicating poverty and reducing disparities in living Eradicating poverty and reducing disparities in living

standards in different parts of the world;standards in different parts of the world;● Environmental protection is an integral part of the Environmental protection is an integral part of the

development processdevelopment process and cannot be considered in and cannot be considered in isolation from it.isolation from it.

Global sustainability dialoguesGlobal sustainability dialogues● Emphasizing the role of Emphasizing the role of public participation in public participation in

community and governmental decision-makingcommunity and governmental decision-making. . People whose lives will be affected by decisions must People whose lives will be affected by decisions must be involved in the processbe involved in the process leading to the decisions. leading to the decisions.

● Calling for Calling for greater transparency and accountabilitygreater transparency and accountability in in governmental decision-making.governmental decision-making.

Legal obligations to have scientific Legal obligations to have scientific and planned activitiesand planned activities

● Kerala Panchayat Raj Act 1994: Kerala Panchayat Raj Act 1994: ● Section 162.A The standing committee for development - Section 162.A The standing committee for development -

responsible to carry out the responsible to carry out the development planning, development planning, socio-economic planning, spatial planningsocio-economic planning, spatial planning etc. etc.

● The standing committee for health and education - The standing committee for health and education - responsible for responsible for environmental protectionenvironmental protection in village in village panchayat. panchayat.

● Grama Sabha - powers to formulate schemes to impart Grama Sabha - powers to formulate schemes to impart awareness on matters of public interest like awareness on matters of public interest like cleanliness, cleanliness, environmental protection, pollution controlenvironmental protection, pollution control etc. etc.

● Village panchayats - general function to Village panchayats - general function to inculcate inculcate environmental awarenessenvironmental awareness and motivating local action for and motivating local action for environmental upgradationenvironmental upgradation..


● Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 Section 16. (3),2005 Section 16. (3),● Every Gram Panchayat shall, Every Gram Panchayat shall, prepare a development plan prepare a development plan

and maintain a shelf of possible works to be taken up and maintain a shelf of possible works to be taken up under the Schemeunder the Scheme as and when demand for work arises. as and when demand for work arises.

● Village Panchayats need to Village Panchayats need to prepare a watershed based prepare a watershed based master plan, as detailed in Watershed Works Manualmaster plan, as detailed in Watershed Works Manual published by the Ministry of Rural Development, GOI. published by the Ministry of Rural Development, GOI. – Two chapters: Two chapters: 5. Mapping5. Mapping and 6. and 6. Technical Surveys of Technical Surveys of

a Watersheda Watershed, details the techniques of mapping., details the techniques of mapping.


● The Kerala Town and Country Planning Act, 2016The Kerala Town and Country Planning Act, 2016● Enacted for the Enacted for the promotion of planned developmentpromotion of planned development and and

regulation of growth of urban and rural areasregulation of growth of urban and rural areas in the in the state with focus on state with focus on scientific spatial planningscientific spatial planning and to and to secure their present and future inhabitantssecure their present and future inhabitants , , sanitary sanitary conditions, amenity and convenienceconditions, amenity and convenience and for other and for other matters connected therewith.matters connected therewith.

● It makes the It makes the village panchayat into a local planning village panchayat into a local planning area.area.

● Section 30 mandates the panchayat to develop a Section 30 mandates the panchayat to develop a master master plan, execution plan and a detailed town planning plan, execution plan and a detailed town planning schemescheme..


● CircularCircular - to constitute - to constitute “Sevagram” Gramakendram“Sevagram” Gramakendram, and an , and an ● OrderOrder - framing the detailed - framing the detailed work chartwork chart for Gramakendrams. for Gramakendrams.

● An extension centre of Village Panchayat in each An extension centre of Village Panchayat in each wardward, , important statistics, various maps (political, important statistics, various maps (political, resource, social, drainage, land use)resource, social, drainage, land use) relating to that ward relating to that ward should be displayed for public information.should be displayed for public information.

● There is a need of maps depicting ward-level details.There is a need of maps depicting ward-level details.


● The village panchayats are in a phase: The village panchayats are in a phase: ● Seriously stepping onto the field of Seriously stepping onto the field of scientific spatial scientific spatial

planningplanning and and scientific data managementscientific data management. . ● The acts, guidelines etc. mandates the need of scientific The acts, guidelines etc. mandates the need of scientific

spatial planning at the village panchayat level. spatial planning at the village panchayat level. ● It is high time to use GIS and remote sensing techniques, It is high time to use GIS and remote sensing techniques,

and immensely use the geospatial data while preparing and immensely use the geospatial data while preparing plans.plans.

Business Process Reengineering Business Process Reengineering (BPR)(BPR)

● The routine business process in the administration of village The routine business process in the administration of village panchayats should be optimised so as to improve the overall panchayats should be optimised so as to improve the overall performance and increase the quality of service. In addition to performance and increase the quality of service. In addition to it, an it, an optimised software based frameworkoptimised software based framework should also be should also be developed to achieve this goal.developed to achieve this goal.

● Reengineering (BPR) is the fundamental rethinking and radical Reengineering (BPR) is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of the business processes redesign of the business processes to achieve dramatic to achieve dramatic improvementsimprovements in critical, in critical, contemporary measures of contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speedperformance, such as cost, quality, service and speed '. '. (Hammer and Champy 2009)(Hammer and Champy 2009)

A technological framework for A technological framework for sustainable developmentsustainable development

● The The present e-governance programme is inadequatepresent e-governance programme is inadequate - - almost all of the almost all of the mandatory and statutory functions of the mandatory and statutory functions of the village panchayats are still carried out in an archaic village panchayats are still carried out in an archaic manual decision making processmanual decision making process , with less use of intuitive , with less use of intuitive technological support.technological support.

● As a result, As a result, most of the obligations village panchayats are most of the obligations village panchayats are entitledentitled, as per the Rio Declaration (Earth Summit) and global , as per the Rio Declaration (Earth Summit) and global sustainability dialogues sustainability dialogues are not efficiently followedare not efficiently followed ..

● But many of the insights to follow these obligations But many of the insights to follow these obligations can be can be achieved by BPRachieved by BPR and the and the effective integrated use of effective integrated use of techniquestechniques namely Enterprise Resource Planning namely Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)(ERP), , Remote Sensing and Geograhical Information Systems, Content Remote Sensing and Geograhical Information Systems, Content Management System Management System (CMS)(CMS) and Business Intelligence and Business Intelligence (BI)(BI)..

ERP – holistic approach.ERP – holistic approach.● The term ERP stands for the idea of The term ERP stands for the idea of all the information and all the information and

operations needed for an enterprise is coordinated in a operations needed for an enterprise is coordinated in a computer systemcomputer system with the help of hardware and software. with the help of hardware and software.

● ERP is a ERP is a business process management softwarebusiness process management software that allows that allows an organization to use a system of integrated applications to an organization to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate many back office manage the business and automate many back office functionsfunctions related to technology, services and human related to technology, services and human resources. It resources. It integrates all facets of an operation, including integrates all facets of an operation, including product planning, development etc.product planning, development etc. (Beal 2016). (Beal 2016).

Content Management SystemContent Management System● It is possible to store, share and contribute information for a It is possible to store, share and contribute information for a

large number of people via CMS.large number of people via CMS.● A content management system (CMS) is a A content management system (CMS) is a computer computer

applicationapplication that supports the creation and modification of that supports the creation and modification of digital content digital content using a common user interfaceusing a common user interface and thus and thus usually supporting multiple users working in a usually supporting multiple users working in a collaborative environment.collaborative environment.

Business Intelligence (BI)Business Intelligence (BI)● Business Intelligence (BI) can be described as "a Business Intelligence (BI) can be described as "a set of set of

techniques and toolstechniques and tools for the acquisition and transformation for the acquisition and transformation ofof raw data into meaningful and useful information for raw data into meaningful and useful information for business analysisbusiness analysis purposes" (Turner 2016). purposes" (Turner 2016).

● There are BI softwares available, which can be used for There are BI softwares available, which can be used for acquiring acquiring better insights on the stored databetter insights on the stored data using ERP, GIS using ERP, GIS and CMS. This will and CMS. This will give more precision in the mandatory give more precision in the mandatory activitiesactivities of village panchayats. of village panchayats.

Integrated FOSS based software for Integrated FOSS based software for Panchayat / Local AdministrationPanchayat / Local Administration

● Government of India has released the mandatory Government of India has released the mandatory 'Framework 'Framework For Adoption of Open Source Software In e-Governance For Adoption of Open Source Software In e-Governance Systems'Systems' on April 2015. on April 2015.

● In village panchayats and in their integral institutions and in In village panchayats and in their integral institutions and in the department of panchayats, the department of panchayats, a FOSS based integrated and a FOSS based integrated and centralised software systemcentralised software system should be developed and should be developed and deployed, which essentially having an deployed, which essentially having an ERP, a GIS, a CMS, and ERP, a GIS, a CMS, and a BIa BI component. component. Free and Open Source SoftwareFree and Open Source Software must be must be used as mandated by the GOI framework as well as that will be used as mandated by the GOI framework as well as that will be the sustainable solution for long-term use.the sustainable solution for long-term use.

Integrated software for Panchayat / Integrated software for Panchayat / Local AdministrationLocal Administration

● Accounting, Budget, Income and Expenditure, Human Resource Accounting, Budget, Income and Expenditure, Human Resource Management, Project Management, Meetings, Purchases, Management, Project Management, Meetings, Purchases, Collaborative file management etc can be managed using Collaborative file management etc can be managed using centralised centralised ERP.ERP.

● Assets, Taxation, Licensing, Assets, Taxation, Licensing, Land and Water Resource Land and Water Resource Management, Building rules, Data bank of wetlands and Management, Building rules, Data bank of wetlands and paddy fields,paddy fields, etc can be managed using an integrated etc can be managed using an integrated GIS GIS framework.framework.

● Online distribution of various certificates, information Online distribution of various certificates, information dissemination, publication of notices, consolidation of acts, dissemination, publication of notices, consolidation of acts, rules, orders, circulars, guidelines etc can be managed using rules, orders, circulars, guidelines etc can be managed using integrated integrated CMSCMS..


● The CMS can be configured as the tender notices, notifications, The CMS can be configured as the tender notices, notifications, project plans, biodiversity registers etcproject plans, biodiversity registers etc can be published in can be published in a decentralised manner from the concerned offices a decentralised manner from the concerned offices respectively.respectively. The information and statistics which are The information and statistics which are consolidated in this integrated software can be arranged such consolidated in this integrated software can be arranged such as those are published automatically, as those are published automatically, satisfying the section 4 satisfying the section 4 of the RTI Act.of the RTI Act.

● BIBI can be generated from the data and information stored in can be generated from the data and information stored in thethe ERP, GIS and CMS ERP, GIS and CMS components of the integrated software components of the integrated software system.system.

MethodologyMethodology

●Operate inline with the Operate inline with the RGPSA SchemeRGPSA Scheme (Rajiv Gandhi (Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan)Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan)●RGPSA Scheme is for RGPSA Scheme is for strengthening the Panchayati Raj strengthening the Panchayati Raj SystemSystem across the country and across the country and address the critical gapsaddress the critical gaps that that constrain it.constrain it.●Existing and and widely used FOSS based software Existing and and widely used FOSS based software frameworksframeworks will be customised and used as the components of will be customised and used as the components of the integrated software programme, which will the integrated software programme, which will reduce the effortreduce the effort..●Coding part will be handled with the help of the Coding part will be handled with the help of the Free Software Free Software CommunityCommunity in the state. in the state.

ReferenceReference‘‘About the Open Source Initiative’. 2016. About the Open Source Initiative’. 2016. Open Source InitiativeOpen Source Initiative. Accessed July 8. . Accessed July 8. https://opensource.org/about.https://opensource.org/about.

Beal, Vangie. 2016. ‘What Is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)? Webopedia Beal, Vangie. 2016. ‘What Is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)? Webopedia Definition’. Definition’. ERP - Enterprise Resource PlanningERP - Enterprise Resource Planning . Accessed July 8. . Accessed July 8. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/ERP.html.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/ERP.html.

‘‘Detailed Project Report for ERP Based E-Governance at Pune Municipal Detailed Project Report for ERP Based E-Governance at Pune Municipal Corporation’. 2016. Accessed July 8. Corporation’. 2016. Accessed July 8. http://www.punecorporation.org/informpdf/PMC_DPR_ver8.0.pdf.http://www.punecorporation.org/informpdf/PMC_DPR_ver8.0.pdf.

‘‘Education for Sustainable Development: Sourcebook; Education for Sustainable Education for Sustainable Development: Sourcebook; Education for Sustainable Development in Action: Learning & Training Tools; Vol.:4; 2013 - 926unesco9.pdf’. Development in Action: Learning & Training Tools; Vol.:4; 2013 - 926unesco9.pdf’. 2016. Accessed July 1. 2016. Accessed July 1. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/926unesco9.pdf.https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/926unesco9.pdf.

‘‘Gnu.org’. 2016. Gnu.org’. 2016. GNU Operating SystemGNU Operating System. Accessed July 8. . Accessed July 8. https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.en.html.https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.en.html.

ReferenceReferenceHammer, Michael, and James Champy. 2009. Hammer, Michael, and James Champy. 2009. Reengineering the Corporation: Manifesto Reengineering the Corporation: Manifesto for Business Revolution, Afor Business Revolution, A. Zondervan.. Zondervan.

National Geographic Society. 2011. ‘GIS (Geographic Information System)’. National Geographic Society. 2011. ‘GIS (Geographic Information System)’. National National Geographic SocietyGeographic Society. March 26. http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/geographic-. March 26. http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/geographic-information-system-gis/.information-system-gis/.

‘‘Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development’. 2016. Accessed July 1. http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-Development’. 2016. Accessed July 1. http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf.future.pdf.

Turner, Dawn M. 2016. ‘What Is Venture Management?’ Blog. Turner, Dawn M. 2016. ‘What Is Venture Management?’ Blog. VentureSkiesVentureSkies. February . February 19. http://www.ventureskies.com/blog/what-is-venture-management.19. http://www.ventureskies.com/blog/what-is-venture-management.

Thank you..Thank you..