Shimla – In a significant milestone, the Department of Digital Technologies, Government of Himachal Pradesh, in collaboration with various state government departments, has achieved 100% saturation of 56 mandatory e-services under the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA). According to an impact evaluation by the Indian School of Business (ISB), the state has demonstrated remarkable progress, with a 40.89% improvement in just six months based on NeSDA framework parameters.
This achievement highlights the exceptional performance of departments such as Jal Shakti Vibhag, the Education Department, and HPSEBL, which have been identified as top performers in recent months. The improvement is expected to enhance the state’s ranking in the NeSDA framework. However, departments have been urged to continue their efforts to ensure full compliance with all NeSDA criteria.
To further this progress, the Department of Digital Technologies and Governance organized a workshop on June 29, 2024, in collaboration with the ISB team. The workshop aimed to provide training to representatives of concerned departments on the Him Data Portal and NeSDA framework. During the event, the ISB team shared a detailed report and impact assessment of the state’s progress in the NeSDA framework.
Dr. Aarushi Jain, Director of Policy at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at ISB, highlighted that the Him Data Portal would enhance the open data ecosystem, aligning with the recent mandate by NeSDA guidelines to augment the e-governance service delivery mechanism.
Launched in 2023, the Him Data Portal serves as a one-stop platform to integrate data of the State Government. The portal aims to promote transparency, accountability, and innovation by providing citizens, businesses, and policymakers with easy access to high-quality data. Developed by the Indian School of Business (ISB), Mohali, the portal has now been handed over to the State Government.
NeSDA, launched in 2018 by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India, is a comprehensive assessment of e-governance service delivery mechanisms across all levels of government in India. It aims to measure the depth and effectiveness of existing e-governance service delivery mechanisms. The ISB was tasked with identifying gaps and providing recommendations to improve the state’s digital advancement and rating.
