Important for GS Prelims — Governance
About the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP)
The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) is India’s national programme for the electronic delivery of government services, approved by the Union Cabinet on 18 May 2006, and formulated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). It is currently administered by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and is an enabler of the later Digital India initiative, with UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) in turn serving as an enabler of NeGP.
Key Facts
| Approved on | 18 May 2006, by the Union Cabinet |
| Original components | 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) + 8 Components |
| Expansion | 4 new MMPs (Health, Education, PDS, Posts) added in July 2011, taking the total to 31 MMPs |
| Nodal Ministry | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) |
| MMP categories | Central, State, and Integrated MMPs |
| Successor programme | Digital India Programme, launched in 2015 |
Governance Structure & Components
- Apex leadership: Committee headed by the Prime Minister provides overall leadership for NeGP implementation.
- Advisory body: National e-Governance Advisory Group headed by the Minister of Communications and IT consults stakeholders on policy.
- Monitoring body: Apex Committee on NeGP chaired by the Cabinet Secretary resolves inter-ministerial issues.
- Delivery infrastructure: Common Service Centres (CSCs) serve as rural access points for NeGP services.
- Information gateway: India Portal (india.gov.in) offers single-window access to Government information and services.
Policy & Regulatory Framework
- Central MMPs are implemented by the Central Government; State MMPs by State Governments; Integrated MMPs jointly by both.
- Respective line ministries and departments are responsible for formulation, financial approvals, and implementation of individual MMPs.
Conclusion
NeGP, approved on 18 May 2006 with 27 MMPs and 8 components (expanded to 31 MMPs in 2011), was India’s foundational e-governance programme under MeitY, later subsumed into the broader Digital India initiative launched in 2015.
| This concept has been elaborately discussed in the following article National e-Governance Plan — Overview and Governance Structure |