National e-Governance Plan (Mission Mode Projects)
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Digital India and Technology Schemes · Topic 10.5
The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) was approved by the Union Cabinet on 18 May 2006 to make all government services accessible to citizens through common service delivery outlets at affordable cost. It began with 27 Mission Mode Projects and 8 components of core infrastructure and support, and the number of Mission Mode Projects later rose to 31 and then 44 under e-Kranti. The Mission Mode Projects were grouped as Central, State and Integrated. Core infrastructure includes State Wide Area Networks, State Data Centres and Common Services Centres. The plan was subsumed into the Digital India Programme in 2015 and renewed as e-Kranti.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Digital India and Technology Schemes
At a Glance
- Approved 18 May 2006
- Initial projects 27 MMPs and 8 components
- Later 31, then 44 MMPs under e-Kranti
- Categories Central, State, Integrated
- Successor Digital India and e-Kranti, 2015
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Digital India and Technology Schemes
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the macro on Digital India and technology. It is the historical base for the CSC scheme and for e-Kranti, and it explains how Indian e-governance moved from scattered projects to a national plan. Previous topic: Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Digital Payments Promotion. Next topic: Aadhaar-Enabled Services and the Aadhaar Act.
What Is the Structure of the NeGP?
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Approval | Cabinet approved on 18 May 2006, built on earlier work by the Department of Information Technology, and run by a Programme Management Structure with an Apex Committee under the Cabinet Secretary |
| Vision | Make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common service delivery outlets, and ensure efficiency, transparency and reliability at affordable cost |
| Mission Mode Projects | Projects with a clear scope, timeline and outcome. Examples include income tax, passports, land records, e-courts, e-procurement, banking, insurance and police |
| Categories of MMPs | Central MMPs led by ministries, State MMPs led by State governments, and Integrated MMPs that involve several levels |
| Core infrastructure | State Wide Area Networks, State Data Centres, Common Services Centres, the State Service Delivery Gateway and the Mobile Service Delivery Gateway |
| Support components | Policy, standards, technical assistance, research, capacity building, and awareness |
| Executing body | The National e-Governance Division, formed in 2009 under the Digital India Corporation, supports the programme management |
How Did the Plan Evolve?
- Beginning: The plan began in 2006 with 27 MMPs and 8 components, and four more MMPs were added in 2011, making a total of 31
- Criticism: A review found that many MMPs were slow, services were not integrated and impact on citizens was uneven, which led to the need for a new approach
- Digital India: In 2015 the NeGP was absorbed into the Digital India Programme, as in Digital India Programme
- e-Kranti: NeGP 2.0 was called e-Kranti, approved on 25 March 2015 with 44 MMPs, as in e-Kranti and MyGov Platform
- Common Services Centres: The centres built under the plan became the front-end of services, as in National e-Governance Plan Operator Village Level Entrepreneur SPV CSC e-Governance Services…">Common Services Centres (CSC) Scheme
- Principle shift: The new principle was transformation, not just translation of manual processes to online form
What Else Should You Remember?
- Examples of MMPs: MCA21 for company filings, e-Passport, Pension, Land Records, e-Procurement, e-District and the National Land Records Modernisation Programme
- SWAN: The State Wide Area Network connects State headquarters with district and block offices for voice, video and data
- SDC: State Data Centres host State applications and data, and are linked with the National Data Centres
- Gateways: The State Service Delivery Gateway and Mobile Seva allow services across channels
- Legal frame: The Information Technology Act, 2000 gives legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures
- Standards: Standards for metadata, interoperability and open data were part of the support work
- Open data: The National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy of 2012 opened government data, hosted on data.gov.in
- Concerns: Fragmented projects, little re-engineering of processes, weak State capacity and poor reach in rural areas
- Process reform: Experts said that automating a bad process does not give a good service, so reform of the process should come first
- Way forward: Integrated platforms, open standards, strong State capacity and citizen feedback
- Exam trap: The plan was approved in 2006 and not in 2015, and e-Kranti is its second version and not a separate plan
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Approval: 18 May 2006
- Initial structure: 27 MMPs and 8 components
- MMP types: Central, State and Integrated
- Core infrastructure: SWAN, SDC and CSC
- Common errors: Giving the number of MMPs as 44 for the original plan
As an analytical point, the plan gave India the physical backbone of e-governance but showed that technology alone does not change service quality. Process reform and State capacity decide whether a portal helps the citizen.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Facts Date and numbers
- Structure MMPs and core
- Link e-Kranti and Digital India
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the identity system that many e-governance services rely on. Next topic: Aadhaar-Enabled Services and the Aadhaar Act.
Key People and Terms
- NeGP National e-Governance Plan
- MMP Mission Mode Project
- SWAN State Wide Area Network
- SDC State Data Centre
- NeGD National e-Governance Division
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Approved: 18 May 2006.
- Start: 27 MMPs and 8 components.
- Later: 31, then 44.
- Core: SWAN, SDC, CSC.
- Successor: e-Kranti, 2015.
Do Not Confuse With
- NeGP and Digital India Earlier e-governance plan versus the larger mission that absorbed it
- NeGP and e-Kranti The first plan versus its second version
- MMP and core infrastructure Service projects versus shared infrastructure
Memory Hook
Twenty-seven projects, eight supports, one plan from 2006: the base of Indian e-governance.
Mains Angle
Questions ask how e-governance has evolved. These points give a balanced frame.
- Strengths Shared infrastructure and national framework
- Weaknesses Fragmentation and weak process reform
- Way forward Integration, open standards and capacity
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Trace the evolution of e-governance in India from the National e-Governance Plan to Digital India and assess the lessons learnt.”
How to Answer
- Introduce NeGP and MMP structure.
- Evolution e-Kranti and Digital India.
- Lessons Process reform and capacity.
- Way Integration and standards.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National e-Governance Plan?
The National e-Governance Plan was approved by the Union Cabinet on 18 May 2006 to make government services available to citizens through common service delivery outlets. It started with 27 Mission Mode Projects and 8 components of core infrastructure and support, and was absorbed into the Digital India Programme in 2015.
What are Mission Mode Projects?
Mission Mode Projects are e-governance projects with a clear scope, timeline and expected outcomes, such as passports, income tax, land records and e-courts. They are grouped as Central, State or Integrated. The number grew from 27 in 2006 to 31 after 2011 and to 44 under e-Kranti in 2015.
What is the core infrastructure of the NeGP?
The core infrastructure includes State Wide Area Networks that link State offices, State Data Centres that host applications and data, Common Services Centres that deliver services in villages, and the State and Mobile Service Delivery Gateways. They are shared across projects, which avoids duplication by each department.
How is e-Kranti related to the NeGP?
e-Kranti is the National e-Governance Plan 2.0, approved on 25 March 2015 under Digital India, with 44 Mission Mode Projects. It follows the principle of transformation and not mere translation of manual processes, and it stresses integrated services, use of cloud and mobile and a focus on citizen needs.
What is the latest status of the NeGP?
The NeGP no longer exists as a separate plan, since it was subsumed into the Digital India Programme in 2015, with e-Kranti as its renewed form. Its infrastructure, such as State Data Centres and Common Services Centres, is still used. Check the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for current projects.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The National e-Governance Plan was approved in May 2006.
It started with 27 Mission Mode Projects.
2 NeGP began with 44 Mission Mode Projects.
It began with 27. The number reached 44 under e-Kranti.
3 State Wide Area Networks are a part of NeGP core infrastructure.
Along with State Data Centres and CSCs.
4 e-Kranti is the second version of the NeGP.
It was approved on 25 March 2015.
Related Topics
Browse the full Current Affairs & Government Schemes index