CHANDIGARH: The e-governance reforms launched by former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal to combat corruption and ensure swift service delivery are now proving to be a double-edged sword for Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini as he strives to secure an unprecedented third consecutive term for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.
Manohar Lal’s tenure was distinguished by a series of ambitious digital reforms aimed at streamlining government services. Over the past decade, the BJP government rolled out a multitude of e-portals, including the Parivar Pehchan Patra, Property IDs, Meri Fasal Mera Byora, E-Kshatipurti, e-tendering for Panchayati Raj Institutions, e-Kharid for farmers, the Bhavantar Bharpai Scheme, e-ration cards, e-FIR, CM-window, e-Pension, and the e-transfer system for teachers. These initiatives were envisioned as steps towards a “paperless” and “faceless” governance model.
While these digital platforms were intended to revolutionize service delivery, allowing citizens to access government services without leaving their homes, the poor infrastructure and inadequate manpower for implementing these reforms have caused significant inconvenience. What were once seen as pioneering initiatives have now become contentious issues among the electorate.
Former Congress Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has capitalized on this discontent, dubbing the BJP government as the “Portal Ki Sarkar” and by promising to dismantle these systems if the Congress returns to power in Haryana.
Ground reports suggest that the stringent implementation of these e-portals has led to widespread frustration, particularly among farmers who face difficulties in registering crop procurement at mandis. The introduction of the Parivar Pehchan Patra for family data verification and Property IDs for urban land reforms has also sparked discontent among urban residents, a demographic that traditionally supports the BJP.
Meanwhile, agricultural experts acknowledge that the direct payment system to farmers for crops procured at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) was a ground-breaking reform, empowering farmers like never before. However, this move has alienated the influential Ahrtiya lobby, turning them against the government. Furthermore, the Haryana government’s e-Kshatipurti portal, designed to directly transfer compensation for crop damage to farmers’ accounts after verification, has added to the discontent.
The e-tendering initiative, intended to eradicate corruption and enhance transparency in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), has further fuelled anti-BJP sentiment. Elected PRI representatives accused the BJP of curtailing their powers, leading to mounting pressure on Chief Minister Saini, who ultimately had to raise the expenditure cap from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 21 lakh.
Haryana stands out as the only state where citizens automatically receive old-age pensions upon turning 60, all from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, thousands of families with annual incomes below Rs 1.80 lakh have been issued BPL cards, Ayushman cards, and free ration cards without needing to visit government offices.
Political observers warn that the inconvenience caused by these digital initiatives could jeopardize the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming elections. The sentiment on the ground reflects a broader frustration with the perceived complexity and inefficiency of these e-reforms, with many feeling that they have increased their burden rather than easing it.
In response, Chief Minister Nayab Saini has made significant policy adjustments in an attempt to win back voter trust. These include restoring the expenditure limit for gram panchayats’ development works and removing the age cap under the Mukhyamantri Kisan Evam Khetihar Mazdoor Jeevan Suraksha Yojana. However, the effectiveness of these measures on the ground remains uncertain.
The Congress leadership in Haryana continues to target these portals as a key issue, with Hooda and Kumari Selja promising their abolition if the Congress is voted back to power. Defending the government’s initiatives, Praveen Attrey, Media Secretary to the Chief Minister, remarked, “These e-initiatives are a direct assault on corruption by introducing transparency into the system. Congress leaders would do well to remember the words of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who once admitted that only 15% of the funds sent by the government actually reach the intended beneficiaries.”