Date of Assessment: 3-6^th May, 2008   

Sanwad can be viewed at www.sanwad.nic.in

Why Sanwad is a good governance practice?

Prior to Sanwad initiative governance service delivery was time consuming, costly and hassled prone processes. Local citizens had to travel long distances in public transport, spend a days earnings to get their works done like getting a birth or residential certificates and that too not sure of whether the same day it will be done. Not only this, corrupt officials and middle men play the spoilsport in harassing the citizens. In such a situation the arrival of Sanwad project did come as a boon for local citizens to get some of their if not all public services delivered in the nearby Sanwad kendras.

The launch of Sanwad is a turn around for good. The main objective of the Sanwad project is to deliver a reliable, time-bound, cost effective and transparent government service delivery system through private kiosks with the use of ICT, devoid of corruption, inconveniences, delay and harassment. The Sanwad project was initiated to facilitate better management of available resources. Service delivery systems through Sanwad kendras have become more efficient, responsive, transparent, and faster. There is less of public visit to government offices, reduction in standing in long queues, reduction in bribe payments, less of harassment, and reduction of other inconveniences. The project has emerged a channel of better delivery for rural development. It is a demonstration of public service delivery through public-private partnership mode. Here, the public party is the District administration and the private party is the kiosk owners.

Location of this Practice

 "Sivasagar" –early name "Rangpur" is a historical city of Assam. It is situated 363 K.M. east of Guwahati city (capital of Assam). Modern Sivasagar town is a fast developing urban settlement. It is also the district Head Quarter of Sivasagar District, a leading tea, silk raw materials and oil producing region.

Geographical and Physical landscape

The geographical terrain of Sivasagar District is not harsh. There are no hill areas while its Southern part extends up to the foot hills of Nagaland. The district has a major share in tea plantations. A major chunk of the district comes under low lying areas (Char or Beel areas) flooded in rainy season and inhabitants of these areas faces maximum brunt of hardships even in cases of service deliveries.  

Social & Cultural Life

Small unit family is common in the district among all people. Assamese is the lingua frunca of the district. The Tribes of the district like Mising and Deori have their own language and dialect although they speak Assamese.

The living conditions in rural areas are still not wholly concrete sites. Thatched roof houses can be found along with few modern concrete houses.

Reaching out to the Sanwad Kendras

 To reach various Sanwad Kendras, one can travel from Guwahati to Sivasagar District Town by bus on an overnight journey. Alternatively, flight is available from Guwahati to neighbouring Jorhat District from where it is 2 hours journey to Sivasagar Town. From Sivasagar town or DC HQ one can reach out to various locations of Sanwad kendras by taking up private vehicle or bus. The Sivasagar town has more or less all urban facilities like mobile or telephone booths including internet cafes. ATM machines are available of different banks like SBI and UTI

 Evaluating Sanwad

1. Problem addressed by sanwad and the legal framework for such provisions in the constitution and regulatory systems.

Prior to the initiation of the Sanwad Programme and even now as well, problems like inordinate delay, corruption, unaccountability, red tapism, costly service delivery have been part of the district administration public service delivery system. There were wide gaps for the common man to have timely and relevant information about various government schemes and allocation. Employees were either overburden with daily visitors to the DC’s office or were less sensitive to the needs and hardships of the people in getting their works done. Complex processes and lengthy procedures affected the effectiveness, speed and quality of the public service delivery. There was lack of an effective monitoring mechanism and enough scope for the middle men to exploit loopholes in the system.  

The Sanwad project, initiated by the Sivasagar District Administration in Upper Assam in December, 2006, thus came handy in addressing key governance challenges and public service delivery bottlenecks. The larger objective of the Sanwad practice was and is to provide quick, reliable, cost effective, hassle free and transparent services to the citizens. The project imitated with wholesome support from District National Informatics Office, Sivasagar thus strives to make administration more responsive and accountable and less cumbersome. 

Sanwad envisages fast delivery of services at the close doorstep of the common men thus saving their valuable time and energy. The Sanwad Kiosks provides several useful Online & Offline services to the citizen on minimal payment basis. The Sanwad operators in way are seen as agents of social change.

Not surprising that the Constitution of India equally and forcefully outlines the need to provide better public service delivery and improved governance system through its various provisions, especially through the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV of the Constitution that suggests the Government of the day to take up special initiatives and programmes for the welfare of the citizens.

2. Participation of Local People.

 Sanwad is a people centric and public service delivery project and hence participation and involvement of the local community is must. Public participation can be gauged from the users of Sanwad services visiting the Sanwad kendras to get their services done. For instance, the GGS Chari Ali Sanwad Kendra at Bhatiapar had issued 317 copies of various kinds of certificates including birth, death, PRC, caste certificates and so on till April 2008 since its operation started in February 2007. During this period, the Kendra earned a cumulative amount of Rs. 1, 73, 477. This earning includes both income from providing Sanwad services as well as services like DTP, Xerox, Lamination, digital photography and other services. In CIC-cum-Sanwad Kendra at Mathurapur, a batch of 34 students is enrolled in various computer programmes apart from the Kendra providing specific Sanwad services. On an average the number of visitors vary from 20-50 on a daily basis only for Sanwad services.  

For greater public participation, the Sanwad kendras serves both rural and urban areas of the district covering all the three sub-divisions of Sivasagar District, viz.,  Sivasagar, Nazira and Charaideo. Interestingly, every Thursday there is provision for the Sanwad operators to have meeting with Gram Panchayats covered under each Sanwad Kendra.  

One strong feeling among both Sanwad operators and District officials is that Sanwad programme is a demand driven project evolved from the grassroots level rather than having been designed by IT firms not suitable for local needs. Presently, forty five Sanwad kiosks and nine Community Information Centres are providing Sanwad services in different parts of the district offering various services to the citizens. It is reported that the simplicity and user friendliness of the office in providing services or the technology is a source of inspiration for the people to participate 

3. ACCOUNTABILITY OF SERVICE PROVIDERS TO THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SERVICE

Sanwad is a community based governance system and as such the pressure is visible to perform and deliver service. Also since this is a self initiated governance practice evolved out by the Sivasagar District Administration, it is quite obvious that morally or on prestige issue the officials and service providers are bound to perform. The minimum and maximum time for service delivery is 1 to 4 days. Grievances in most cases come to the DC office who handles it on routine basis.

4. SPEED & EASE OF SERVICE DELIVERY,

Sanwad services are to be provided in stipulated time between 1 to 4 days. Services can be delivered on the same day if applications reach by hand to the DC office. It takes maximum 4 days in case of services sought through the Sanwad Kendras.  

For ease of service delivery, each Sanwad Kendra is location within 10 km radius with approx one kiosk p in one GP[1]/Ward. Currently there are 45 Sanwad Kendras and 9 CICs that are providing Sanwad services[2]. For the sake of citizen comfort, a government order has been released enabling the Sanwad Kendra operators as stamp vendors for facilitating public to procure stamp papers in the vicinity. 

The current service delivery process is such that applications for government services are received at Sanwad Kendra and applicant is given printed receipt with application ID. Kiosk Operator then makes arrangement to send all the applications received by them to the Office of the DC/SDO[3] (C). The same day the Sanwad facilitator also collects the certificates etc. already issued by the DC office/ Office of the SDO (C) against the earlier receipt applications. Thus in the process of submitting one file of applications, one file of  issued certificates etc. are delivered to the citizens on production of the receipt of the application ID. The entire process has become time bound with citizens getting the services within four working days from the date of the submission of the application though with exceptions in some cases. The certificates etc. are not being issued online because legally it is still not permissible under State law.

5. SOCIAL WELL BEING

The implementation of Sanwad is in those areas wherein the common people did not even see or heard about computer or internet. So the impact is there even if it is in rudimentary or prelim phase. The citizen users are visiting the centres to get certificates, or get their PAN cards done or collect form of various government schemes downloaded from the websites. Young students and youth sections are learning basics of computers. Farmers are involved in a 10-15 days computer awareness programme as to how to use it for agro purposes. The biggest thing happening for the common man is they are less hassled in terms of spending money or time or now have to hardly face the scrupulous officials.

6. TRANSPARENCY 

 Visiting Sanwad Kendra can be a rewarding experience though on case to case basis. A change can be visible everywhere. The movement is gaining acceptance. Transparency & accountability have entered the system. The process of good and people oriented governance has trickled down. The technology deployed has come as a good interface in diffusing unwarranted practices in public service delivery. The portal is currently being used to assess the current status of various projects, the latest data on beneficiaries etc. online grievances do happen but not as much expected. One must not ignore here the traditional administration mindset of officials to transform themselves to the new system. The indifferent and lagging attitude or lack of seriousness do exists.  

7. REPLICABILITY

The Sanwad model is replicable and can be pilot tested in other areas especially to serve the remote and backward sections of society and wherein public service delivery is still a challenge. The reason is it is public oriented and demand generated programme.

Hiccups for replicable equally exists- the resistance against the change and  the acceptance of new working environment by the officer and staff;  financial constraint, infrastructural limitations especially Internet and power connection, legal restriction on the online delivery of services like certificates, opposition from vested groups like local magistrates and clerks, initial hesitation and reluctance of people to accept the new system, transfer of officials slackening the process,  lack of coordination between departments, information and communication gaps between the service providers, district officials and the community, regular updation of government schemes, circulars etc, defining clear roles and responsibilities of officials in managing such a specialized programme, and security and safety of the programme itself in terms of hacking etc.

8. APPROXIMATE COST-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE, COST INVESTED, OBTAINED FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES, PLEASE WRITE IF THIS HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED TO THE EVALUATOR BY THE NGO.

The financial support has come from Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) and SBI. This is to the tune of Rs. 25, 000 each from GAIL and SBI in a Sanwad Kendra set up cost of Rs. 75,000 (the entrepreneur spends Rs. 25,000). / GAIL’s contribution is a one time grant to the operators. The SBI loan is for 9 per cent interest.

Thus the funding pattern is as follows:

33%: Stakeholder

33%: Bank

33%: GAIL, in the form of subsidy given through banks. The entire asset will be hypothecated to the bank.  

1%   : District Administration in form of training, back up processing and handholding

9. PARTNERSHIP

The Sanwad programme involves key stakeholders- the Sivasagar District administration, the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), the State Bank of India (SBI), the District NIC, and the local entrepreneurs (Sanwad Society).

The District Level Committee (DLC) is the nodal agency for Sanwad. The Committee is constituted by the following members.

• Deputy Commissioner, Sivasagar– Chairman
• Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) – Vice Chairman       
• Extra Assistant Commissioner- Member Secretary
• DIO, NIC, Sivasagar– Member
• Representatives of Bank, GAIL – Members

Role of the Nodal Agency ( In this case is the Sivasagar District Administration)  

•    Implementation of the project.

•    Selection of entrepreneurs for setting up the kiosks.

•    Imparting training on skill up gradation and application of    technology.

•     Monitoring and evaluation of the project.

•     Planning and implementation of expansion of project, addition of services etc.

•     Coordination with Bank & GAIL.

SANWAD SOCIETY

A Sanwad Society headed by the deputy commissioner was registered under the Registration of Society Act, and was made responsible for implementation, monitoring, and supervision of the project.

The Sanwad operators have their own society constituted to look into their matters, for petitions, etc in a united mode.

10. SUSTAINABILITY

The sustainability of Sanwad kendras and in that matter for the entire Sanwad concept depends upon its necessity, a bottom up approach, business acumen of operators, business plan with community service, economic viability steps and accessibility and available of public services. As per records available none of the

kiosk operators have gone into loss even though the earnings have fluctuated as per peak and low times.

The Sanwad practice is replicable. The scheme of funding is practical enough not only to encourage the ones who are already into it but also attract many unemployed youths to start such kiosks on the lines of Sanwad. Setting up a kiosk at 10 km radius would serve the local market and users. This project is more feasible in rural and semi-urban areas.

A revenue model can be like this. For instance, in a Gram Panchayat with a population of 5000 population or so, if the kiosk operator can have 20 minimum user customers for various public services (certificates, downloads etc) with an average earning of (Rs. 20x20 = Rs. 400 per day which means he / she can earn an average monthly income of (Rs. 400 x 30 = 12,000) only from online services. This gets further added with supplementary incomes like digital photography, PAN Card made, PCO, photocopy etc. Also getting licenses for various other services like stamp vendors license, driving license agent, insurance agent, they can add up to their earnings.

The strength of the Sanwad practice lies in the following:

•  Its is community centric, demand driven project

•  The citizen is the core of the programme

•  There is less of human interface and thus less of human errors, malpractices

•   There is less of human pressure on the DC and Sub divisional offices

•   The scope for middle men is reduced and removed

•   An initiative for employment generation for the youth using ICT

•   Public service delivery at the nearby vicinity of citizens

•   Saving of time and costs for the citizens

•   Devolution of governance in an informal manner

The Weaknesses of Sanwad:

• The practice is yet to fully online. It is a mix of online and offline services. Online delivery of certificates etc is still not implemented due to legal and security purposes. The acceptance of scan copy of documents, digital signatures, or print out copies from Sanwad Kendras are still being discussed and hammered out.

• The practice needs great publicity and awareness drive among the masses. The Kendras must publicise, populate their services etc through regular publicity drive. Perhaps the role of the District Administration is critical here. 

• Updation of data or posting of circulars or schemes on the site requires regularity and timeliness. For instance, the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) schemes are not updated in many projects.

• Business acumen of the operators needs to be developed and made relevant. The entrepreneurial mindsets have to be fully utilized and ideated.

• There is still many services that can be routed through the Sanwad kendras.

• There is somewhere information and communication gaps between the officials, operators and needs of the citizen users.

• There is less frequent inter-departmental sittings over the functioning and service delivery of the Sanwad Kendras. The makeover of the officials in terms of transformation to the new framework is still deserved.

• Thus the Sanwad project cannot be fully an e-Governance system though it is in the mid way until the legal aspects of e-governance in terms of validation of online delivered certificates, acceptance of digital signature etc have to be addressed. The practice is currently devolution of public service delivery points through the Sanwad kendras wherein the user community can initially have their work done in terms of getting a computerized generated receipt once they submit their applications with an ID number to keep track of the progress.

11. LESSONS LEARNT

 Key lessons can be learnt from the Sanwad practice. That technology can play a supportive role in providing public services overcoming distance, difficult terrain and high costs. That Information Communication Technology (ICT) platform can thus ensure service delivery that is feasible at the community level in a decentralized manner. It is always possible to reduce public grievances and hardships in availing governance services. Achieving accountability and transparency and cost effective administration is not difficult. That technology can benefit the common man in more than one way. That public and private partnership can play a good and dynamic role in public service delivery and in achieving key objectives of good governance.

Few drawbacks identified on the ground and elsewhere. It has to be clear that there is a difference between computerization and digitization, that there is a difference between online services delivery and e-governance service delivery. Making information and services delivered online at the doorsteps like delivering a certificate at any Sanwad Kendra is e-governance.  

 The legal issues in implementing ICT based e-governance services must be sorted out prior to implementing any mega project. That gender balance has to be maintained in allocation of franchisee of such governance service delivery points. There must be continuous innovations and thoughts among the officials and operators to introduce more and better services. There needs close coordination and networking among the stakeholders. That technology interface needs updation and timeliness must be observed in terms of regular update of data, etc. That transfer of officials should and must not disturb such process. A minimum permanence of tenure of officials is must. That defining clear roles and responsibilities among officials vis-à-vis such projects is must in achieving key targets and fixing accountability. There is need of huge publicity and awareness drive among the masses for such citizen centric programmes.  

12. IMPACT ASSESSMENT

That citizens are the actual beneficiaries. It is a win-win situation for the citizens, district officials, and unemployed youths. The Sanwad kendras have brought in a new movement and activity happening at the community level. A change is visible in the governance framework. However, a lot needs to be done in terms of innovations, continuous thrust, departmental supports, administrations eagerness to engage the communities more through the Sanwad kendras.