The Govt will be able to improve efficiency and citizens will be saved from the unnecessary hassle of visiting various offices
Recently, students of a college in Delhi University, while being acquainted with the “Digital India” initiative of the Narendra Modi Government, were asked how many of them had gone to a Government office for availing services. About 90 per cent of them raised their hands. When they were asked how many of them would like to go back to the Government office for availing its services, the response was a big, resounding “No” from almost all of them. Asked to give a reason for this response, many of them cited long queues, uncooperative staff, being made to run from one counter to the other, rudeness, tardiness and the lackadaisical attitude of Government servants, as some of the factors that would prevent them from going back. And this was not just restricted to departments run by State administrations, it also included offices run by the Central Government.
The writing on the wall is clear. Given a choice, no one, particularly the new generation, wants to visit Government offices to get the simplest of work done. The experience of visiting a Government office, even if it is equipped with computers and air conditioners and other modern amenities, has not been very good for common citizens, particularly the younger generation, which is short on time and patience and has gotten used to getting what they want at the click of the mouse or a tap on a touchscreen. Apart from this, the inconvenience of travelling from their place of residence or work to the Government department, the time required to be spent on getting the job done, procedural ambiguity and availability of alternatives for such service delivery, play a major role in putting people off Government offices.
Today, there are various products being purchased through endless e-commerce platforms and services being availed through technological platforms where citizens need not visit the brick and mortar shops/offices. In view of these emerging technological advancements, the expectations of citizens have enhanced significantly and they are willing to pay for services delivered to them at their doorstep and the convenience of making payment at the time of delivery of services, which is called Cash on Delivery (COD).
In fact, it was Flipkart, which after its launch in 2007, revolutionised e-commerce through its COD payment model. Thanks to the COD model, Flipkart’s products reached far-flung areas of the country. People, who did not have the facility of online banking or credit cards, were the ones who propelled the COD model.
A Nielsen Global Connected Commerce Survey report says that about 83 per cent of shoppers in India favour utilising cash for all their online purchases. Customers also hesitate to input card information because of different online frauds and hacking. It says that the larger part of the payment made by buyers for online stores like Flipkart, Amazon and so on, was COD, where 72 per cent were from significant urban communities and 90 per cent from small towns.
The online retail sector is booming and COD is a major contributor to this. Despite the fact that e-wallets and internet banking services are on the rise, the COD payment model is still preferred by a large section of society. Payment choices like internet banking, credit and debit cards and e-wallets cater to just 30 per cent of online purchases as compared to COD. One sector, which could further boost the COD payment model, is the delivery of Government services. Citizens generally require birth certificates, domicile/residence certificates, caste certificates, income certificates, ration card, election card, school/college certificate, marriage certificate, land records, land registration documents, various permissions/licences for doing business and organising social functions/events and so on. Filing Government challans or taxes, getting various licences are some other services that could be delivered at home.
Citizens should be able to avail services through online processes where they can attach various documents as required by the Government and the Government/institutions concerned should send the certificate/licences/documents to their residence/office after finishing the verification and other due processes. Citizens are willing to pay the courier charges and “fee” as prescribed by the Government.
COD for Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services is one business model which can do wonders for both the Government as well as the people. While the Government will be able to cut costs in terms of office set-ups and improve efficiency, citizens will be saved from the unnecessary hassles of visiting Government offices.
The COD payment model from delivery of G2C services would have multiple advantages in terms of reduced carbon emissions as people won’t have to drive to the service centres. There will be massive time saving and fewer man-days lost as well. It will cut graft and the system of touts as officers/staff will process the applications on a “first come, first serve” basis and reduce undue favouritism. The COD payment model for G2C services will redefine the process and character of Government services and bring out the “service” part in the true sense. COD for G2C services will be a game-changer for enhancing transparency in Government service delivery.
(The writer is CEO, Common Service Centre, SPV)