c. Integrated reporting system: An integrated data reporting system focuses on efficient flow of data and optimized structures for data collection. The main advantage is the removal of redundancy. Also the system establishes processes of reporting and data collection which are better as highly efficient and streamlined; this would help collect the data in a format that can be tuned according to the need. Additionally, the data can be integrated across schemes due to a common storage facility. One drawback would be elimination of cross references which would place a higher responsibility on the people collecting data. An overlap of administration could mean difficulties in reaching common grounds for the data requirements. Also, trusting each other ' s data collection was not an easy goal to start with.
After detailed analysis, Upendra and his team evaluated the options under the following criteria. They considered Process optimization, Integration ease, Reduction in redundancy, Scalability and Cost( In order of importance, based on their expertise in the field) as the prime criteria.
After several deliberations and evaluations they reached upon a conclusion that the Integrated Data Reporting System would be the right fit for the current requirement.
Upendra conducted a Pilot Project in Satri village in Rajura Taluka, which connected the data for the concerned entities: Gram Panchayat, Anganwadi, School and Auxiliary Medical Sub-Centre. The results were encouraging and the scalability of the technical part of the project appeared plausible.
More importantly, he came to know of the probable issues which could come up in the implementation of the e-governance in the village.
PILOT PROJECT IN SATRI VILLAGE
In order to gauge the feasibility of implementation for the system, Upendra thought of having a pilot study in Satri and Chanakha villages in the Rajura Block. These villages were specifically selected since they were typically known to be more development prone and the number of schemes that were successfully implemented in these villages were the highest in the district.( See Exhibit 1 for the schemes in the district) Also Upendra knew a few local people here who used to work on contract basis for UNICEF.
The planning for the project was done for about a month and the actual pilot project was held for about 40 days. The software usage for the project was to be nonsophisticated and inexpensive( use of Google docs) and their use would just be illustrative to prove his hypothesis of implementing the change in the current system. They had designed optimized forms which would remove the data repetition and ensure efficient data collection( see Exhibit 8 for the new form structure).
After 6 weeks of implementation, Upendra analyzed the success of the project with the help of his team. They had covered the entire data of the month for the 2 villages in sectors: Anganwadi, medical sub-centre, Grampanchayat and School( see Exhibit 9 for evaluation of the success of the project). The task of collection of data and consolidation had been assigned to the computer operator in the Grampanchayat.
CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION
Upendra had been working in the area for more than 4 years and was aware of the several pressing social and demographic issues in the district. When he observed the statistics of the village with respect to literacy he was convinced that this certainly was a major hindrance in the implementation. Because of illiteracy of the people, he found it very tough to convince the people of even his most meritorious of ideas. For example, he had tried to organize an awareness camp for tuberculosis with the help of the medical sub-centre. But only 21 people turned up for the camp within a span of 3 days mainly because the people did not realize the importance or seriousness of the activity. A major part of it was attributed to the prevalent illiteracy, and minor part to ego and nonwillingness. On another occasion, he had attempted to conduct a computer hardware training program. But this too failed miserably as the villagers had to be taught from the basics. Some of them could not understand the English alphabet.
Upendra was convinced that an inclusive approach was critical to the success of the program. He recollected the incident of the passive resistance offered by the Maharashtra state transport workers during the implementation of the online system, since the system was forced on them. Finally the system managed to work somehow, but struggled for a long time. He feared that without the proper extensive negotiations the system would be passively or even actively resisted by people whose personal interests came in the way.
The local authorities know best the village, its people, its strengths and lacunae. They enjoyed a respected status in the village and an administrative clout. Their cooperation was needed in spearheading the implementation. But he had a disheartening experience in the Gram Sabha in Jivti village in the block. The Gram Sabha is the meeting of all the people in the village. The purpose of the Gram Sabha is to have a people opinion of the activities and issues in the village. Normally the Gram Sabha is held once in a month and all the people in the village are expected to be present there and express their opinions on the village progress and to prioritize the various issues. Since the government funds are allotted to specific tasks in the village, the decisions in the Gram Sabha shape the way the village would develop, by assigning the top priorities to the pressing issues in the village. The funds would then be
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