Several previous Governments have talked about having an e-Government service, but no holistic action was taken other than piecemeal solutions. The QR code system for issuing fuel, which was launched at the height of the economic crisis of 2022, was a successful initiative, but like most other Government projects, it faded away. Until recently, it was not even possible to apply online for passports, although certain aspects of the process such as photo ID were digitised.
The present Government has promised a whole-of-Government approach to digitisation and the first step in this regard, called GovPay, was launched on Friday. The idea is to enable a more efficient method of payment for Government services.
Initially, the platform will integrate 16 Government institutions with 30 more joining in two further phases until full implementation is reached by April, according to the Ministry of Digital Economy. GovPay will modernise revenue collection processes in line with the systems deployed in advanced economies.
This is part of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative which will seamlessly bring together Government websites, payment portals, application forms and social media channels. There is another DPI – Digital Platform Integration, which has more or less the same goal. Whichever way you look at it, this is envisaged as a sort of “One Stop Shop” where one can handle all transactions with Government, Provincial Councils and Local Bodies with ease. This will encompass Digital Identity, Digital Health, Digital Payments, E-commerce and e-Governance.
It will also integrate the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identification (SLUDI), which is somewhat similar to the Social Security Number (SSN) in the US and the Aadhaar Card in India. Incidentally, Aadhaar is one of the three pillars of India’s digital Financial Technology (FinTech) initiatives known collectively as the JAM trinity – JanDhan bank accounts, Aadhaar and Mobile phones. Moreover, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has created opportunities for numerous new companies in India. The new buzz in the DPI space is around ONDC- Open Network for Digital Commerce, an innovation that will further democratise e-commerce, particularly benefitting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The Government will also introduce the Electronic Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates facility for Sri Lankans abroad, but this is likely to be extended to the local population as well. In India, Over 400 million citizens can already access their important documents anytime anywhere using the DigiLocker- a secure cloud-based platform for storage, sharing and verification of documents and certificates.
However, since all these new digital platforms will contain sensitive data on individuals, scholars have homed in on the need for a robust cybersecurity strategy and privacy protection measures. Indeed, the proposal to create a Sri Lanka Cybersecurity Task Force (SLCTF) dedicated to identify vulnerabilities, prevent potential cyber attacks and implement risk mitigation strategies, with the aim of ensuring data security, system resilience, and public trust in the DPI, is most welcome. This will hopefully include advanced encryption, real-time threat detection, and strict compliance measures which could thwart Ransomware and other cyber attacks.
Reports indicate that Sri Lanka is steaming ahead with SLUDI and the recently procured 350 units of biometric hardware, including high-resolution cameras and fingerprint scanners. Such technologies, primarily Smart Gates, will also be installed at the Bandaranaike and Jaffna International Airports and the Passenger Terminal of the Colombo Port in due course. These are essential steps that will take Sri Lanka to the upper echelons of the digital realm.
The GovPay launch also coincided with the inaugural BIMSTEC Digital Conclave (BDC) now being held in Colombo. It is also significant that Sri Lanka is the BIMSTEC Sectoral Lead for Science, Technology and Innovation. BIMSTEC Member States have been exploring symbiotic pursuits across different sectors – including Trade, Investment and Development, Environment and Climate Change, Maritime and Border Security, Agriculture and Food Security, People-to-People Contact, Science, Technology and Innovation and Connectivity. Digitisation will be the common thread that runs across all these sectors.
As the Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha said at the BDC opening ceremony, digitisation is not only a means of connectivity – but also a medium of equity and opportunity. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed how school and university students who did not have access to digital devices and/or 4G signals suffered by not having access to online lessons.
This is why the Government should consider tax and duty concessions on smartphones, laptops and tablets so that more people could buy them and go online. It should also open more Nenasalas and public libraries where those who do not have Internet access (due to lack of devices or 4G signals) can go online to conduct any transactions with the Government.
This may sound like a cliché, but we can look up to Singapore on how a Government portal should really work. On www.gov.sg, Singaporeans can get real-time information on everything from upgrading their skills to pension payments. It even has helpful information on spotting real and digitally altered content and fake websites masquerading as Gov.sg. There is even a helpful section on managing the Cost of Living (COL). But looking at current initiatives, Sri Lanka will soon have a similar portal up and running.
Today, most of us are used to doing many transactions online, from booking airline tickets to ordering food. The ease with which we can get things done entirely online is indeed incredible. Some of it was unthinkable even 20 years ago. But Governments around the world have been somewhat late to the party. They can learn a lot from the private sector in this regard. Public or private, every online portal must be user-friendly and informative. In the end, using every online portal must be as easy as ABC.
