How Emerging Technologies bring Transformation in Government Processes

Whenever we mention the word ‘government’ in the corporate sector, entrepreneurs and business owners tend to think of outdated processes, long waiting periods, and sluggish public services. Red tape and bureaucracy are responsible factors for the delay in every government process. Thankfully, E-governance services have changed this perception forever. This blog talks about the role of emerging technologies in bringing transformation in the government processes.

Emerging Technologies and E-governance Services

"The PM has defined e-governance as easy, effective, economical and environmental-friendly governance. The ease of governance would only be possible by 'Minimum Government and Maximum Governance'," Conrad K Sangma – (Chief Minister of Meghalaya).

Source: NDTV

A new wave of futuristic technologies like the cloud, AI, robotic process automation, intelligent sensors, and blockchain drives the government sector and brings a paradigm shift to better integration between central, state, and district administration. Simply put, these emerging technologies modernize the government in the digital age. Let’s see the impact of these technology trends in the government operations and the implementation of various schemes through E-governance.

"Emerging technology has become a force of a new social system in which an efficiency is no longer an option but a necessity to apply on all human actions." -Himanshu Jain (Director, North Operations - Silver Touch Technologies Ltd.)

AI and RPA

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) have a vital role to play in government operations. Talking about AI, it can improve the effectiveness of various government agencies. This technology is aimed at making data more understandable and enabling citizens to navigate different services easily. As per an issue brief given by the IBM Center for the Business of Government and The Partnership for Government Service has revealed that AI can save 1.2 billion work hours of government.

AI is associated with the use of computers to simulate human abilities while performing common tasks. This emerging technology brings digital transformation in the government processes with the help of other technology trends like ML (Machine Learning) and predictive analytics. The centralized system can learn from available data and the citizen’s activities automatically and respond to queries in a better way over the period.

Robotic process automation, on the other hand, can take away repetitive and monotonous tasks from the government employees to improve their efficiency. This technology can save hundreds of thousands of work hours simply by managing repetitive tasks like form filling and segregation of various forms. The government employees can focus on other important tasks and accomplish various projects in hand on time. In a way, the RPA concept brings automation to the government processes.

Blockchain Technology

Data security is one of the biggest concerns for the government of developing and developed countries alike. There the blockchain technology can lend a helping hand. From securing the citizen’s data to resolving the issues of improper payment, this technology can enable government agencies to ensure data and financial security. What’s more, the government can get auditable financial statements for various schemes and processes thanks to distributed ledger technology associated with blockchain.

Various research reports have revealed that the government spends a lot of money in financial management just to fetch and match the records. From the district to central administration, there are many ledgers and subledgers that may not match while auditing the financial reports. The blockchain technology offers a decentralized public ledger that can be accessed by the authorized persons to get the data of every transaction. Various departments of the government can get and share the necessary data through this technology.

Also, the central government provides a grant to state governments for people’s welfare schemes. Every year, the government has to consider this amount while making a budget. If both state and central governments are equipped with blockchain-based software, then the grant system can be improved a lot and the government can get rid of improper payments. It also enhances the efficiency of the grant system and brings transparency in the entire process. E-governance services can introduce a paperless system with the help of blockchain technology.

VR and AR

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies are known for offering immersive visual experiences. Citizens like such experiences a lot, and the government can introduce new programs or services by using these technologies. Tech-savvy people can watch the government’s ads on their smart devices and get the whole new visual experience. Both VR and AR technologies have immense scope in the domains of virtual therapy and awareness or training programs.

The government can use these technologies to train personnel and make them prepared for any disaster. Also, farmers can learn new techniques and methods to install solar panels or utilize the drip-irrigation method. Another known use of VR and AR technologies is to improve location-based services. It assists disaster management teams to respond quickly and properly.

The government runs various welfare schemes for the citizens. Various social digital tools and collaborative technologies remain helpful in managing these schemes smoothly. The scope of emerging technologies in the government sector is huge. The E-governance service providers can integrate the advancements of these technologies to bring a digital transformation in the government processes.

Concluding Lines

Silver Touch Technologies is a leading E-governance services provider with a rich G2C (Government to Citizens) portfolio. We help the government to digitize the workflow and processes by integrating the advanced features of emerging technologies. Our experienced software developers can deliver robust IT solutions for empowering citizens and expanding the reach of government programs.

Mr. Himanshu Jain is a Director at Silver Touch Technologies Ltd. and has 25+ years of experience in Information Technology. He has worked with Apple, IBM, Novell Server Platforms and also has experience with several software platforms.