In the State of Goa, with the required infrastructure in a very pathetic state the online classes for students is a mission impossible. Ribandar is part of Panaji City but our power supply is very erratic and the internet connectivity is so frequently down and when it works it is very slow. If this is the sad state of affairs in and around the capital city, one can imagine what must be happening in the hinter land.
The government must ensure that there is proper internet connectivity across the State. It is pathetic that there is no mobile connectivity even inside Dabolim airport. In a democracy with good governance, interaction between government and people is paramount. A Government cannot function in isolation. A strong interaction infrastructure and the means to access the internet, paves the way for effective operations and a smooth flow of information between government and the people, between the centers of learning and the children and parents at home. The benefits of e-governance and e-learning are enormous. It helps in simplifying processes. It makes it convenient for people especially in villages and other areas to access updated government information when they want and without spending a considerable amount of money time and energy to travel. It is eco-friendly as online government services would lessen the need for hard copy paper forms and benefit the environment. Digitization of data makes data more accessible from anywhere and easy to find. The number of lost paper files or missing documents in Government departments are currently all too evident. E-governance provides greater security as digital files and confidential information can be secured much more than physical files. In Goa over the years, crores of rupees have been poured in the name of e-Governance but the desired results have not been achieved. Most of the Government websites are non-functional or not updated. With e-Governance the bureaucracy should have shrunk but has infact been bloating by the day while only further burdening an already depleted State exchequer. The government must also ensure that there is proper internet connectivity across the State. It is pathetic that there is no mobile connectivity even inside the Dabolim airport. Unless there is a concerted focus on providing all the required proper infrastructure required, e-governance will remain a dream with transparency and accountability in governance evading us. E-education and e-governance must be a boon and not a curse for the people who need to access information and depend on the internet in our rapidly developing digital world. Good e-learning and e-governance does not just happen. It needs careful planning, effective implementation and transparent accountable investment to benefit the many not just the few. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com