Entrepreneurs' Perception on UDC
Chapter 4 Service Availability
4.9 Entrepreneurs’ Required Service Availability Factors
For delivering G2C services, access to department portal or availability of online information (either on National portal / district portal/ Upazila Portal) is needed. For this, initiatives like District e-Service Center will form a platform for UDCs to deliver G2C from Government portal of a district. To supply users requiredinformation and services, entrepreneurs have been asked how they can acquire these services to fulfill citizen’s demands. They have responded to provide information and services from the main five sources-Websites of Different ministries and Directorates; District level directorates, boards and administration; Upazila level Branches and administration, Union Parishad administrationand DifferentAutonomous bodies (Universities/ Banks/ Companies).They would be able to deliver the users’demand when these sources can provide their service fully. These sources are described according to the view of different entrepreneurs as follows:
4.9.1CentralGovernment(National Level)
Sometimes rural citizens have to go to the different ministriesat the capital city Dhaka, to avail public services concerning different projects, jobs, development programs, assignments etc., which creates a lot of sufferings, costs to them. If these concerning services can be accomplished through UDCs, this will be a great relief for the rural
citizens. For these the websites of different ministries with their information and service should be in online and connected to the UDCs with regular update.
4.9.2 District level (Like District e-service Centers and webs)
District level information and services are the important source for the rural citizens to get information and services through UDCs. For this the government of Bangladesh has already established total 64 District e-service Center service centers (DESC). With the launching of the DESC, it is desired to end the era of over 200-year-old traditional ways of providing government services, which often cause sufferings to millions. Moreover, with the aim to ease of getting services and information from the web pages, government of Bangladesh has launched national web portals containing 64 district web portals which are the crucial for providing e-services to the rural people. The web portals have the opportunity to getting information about the day to day works, circulars and notices from the government organization by the citizens of all.
4.9.3 Upazila Level Administration
According to the decentralization policy of Bangladesh Government, most of the public services have been delegated to the Upazila level. So Upazila information center is crucial to provide information services delegated by the government. At present there is no upazila information and service center to provide information and services in the light of rural needs. As a result, rural people have to suffer much to come and avail the public
information and services. There are also middlemen who harass the rural people taking advantages of their ignorance and this cost more with confusion.
4.9.4 Union Parishad Information and Service
Union is the lowest unit of local Government which has mainly 12 (twelve) types of functions98 to be performed under the leadership of UP Chairman. If the functions are digitalized and recorded, rural people can achieve and participate easily. Beside these, citizens’ information like birth/death registration, citizenship certificate have to be digitized for quick access, delivery and record. Beside this UDCs can be related to various welfare works e.g. VGD, VGF, TR, GR and others. They can supply information, issue card in every program. They can also be related to LGSPs (Local Government Support Program) development works. They can register stamp venders.
4.9.5 Autonomous Bodies (Universities/ Banks/ Companies)
There are some autonomous bodies like Universities, Education boards, Public banks, Life insurances and different companies of Bangladesh Government. Especially the delivery of public banking services at an affordable cost to the vast sections of the rural disadvantaged and low income groups is critical. These autonomous bodies have their own websites and regulation system. To have their services available, UDCs entrepreneurs need to access to their updated Websites. So connection/access with their websites is crucial to provide service to the marginal level through UDC. UDCs have the potentials
98. accessed at November 10, 2015, http://www.lgd.gov.bd/index.php?option=
com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=42&lang=en
to make financial services, such as mobile payment, online banking, life insurance, etc.
easy and hassle free. Delivery of these services will be smooth when they are fully connected to the UDCs.
4.10 Analysis of Entrepreneurs’ Service Availability Factors
It is clear from the data of entrepreneurs that each of the five sources are most important to provide service to the rural people. Any absence of the sources will make deprivation of rural people from their factors. The average score of the entrepreneurs’ demand factors have been presented in the following table.
Table 15: Means of Required Primary Sources in the Light of Required Service
Groups
Service sources
Gender Marital Status
Education ICT education / Training
Experience
Male Female Married Unmarried HSC or bellow Graduate (Hon/degree) Post Graduate (Masters) No Training less than 1year 1year – 2 year 2 year 0r more less than 1year 1year – 2 year 2 year 0r more
Government (Ministries/organs)
5.00 4.30 4.65 4.65 4.55 4.65 4.75 4.60 4.65 4.65 4.70 4.55 4.65 4.75
Service from District
5.00 4.00 4.75 4.25 4.65 4.50 4.35 4.75 4.55 4.50 4.20 4.65 4.55 4.30
Service from Upazila
Administration 4.40 4.20 4.40 4.20 4.40 4.30 4.20 4.20 4.30 4.40 4.30 4.10 4.30 4.40 Service From UP Offices
4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00
Services from Autonomous
Bodies 4.45 4.35 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40
If we summarize and make rank the above table with average score of every indicator that can be viewed by the following table.
Table 16: Scales and Scores to Measure the Service Availability at UDC
Factors in details Rank Mean
16 Government e-services (Ministries/Departments/Organizations/branches) 1 4.65 17 Service from District (District e-service Center) 2 4.50 18 Service from Upazila (Upazila Information Center) 4 4.3 19 Service from Union services (From Districts Upazilas’ and UP Offices) 5 4.00 20 e-services from Autonomous Bodies (Universities/commissions) 3 4.40