Microsoft announces e-governance awards

New Delhi, Oct 1: Promising large investments to encourage e-governance in the country through implementing various projects, Microsoft here announced the winners of ''e-governance awards'' for building effective solutions and using best practices contributing towards enhanced delivery of citizen services.

A total of 308 applications were received for the awards, of which 33 made it to the finals.

The projects being awarded were developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), state IT departments and Union Department of Information Technology.

''We share the Indian government's vision for technology as an enabler of economic development. The level of involvement and partnership we have today with the government on the building of an e-governance roadmap for India is exciting,'' Microsoft International President Jean Philippe Courtois said while presenting the awards.

Microsoft India Chairman Ravi Venkatesan stressed on deeper partnerships with the Centre, state governments, nodal agencies and others to provide a thrust to the development indices of the country.

The selection of the winners was determined by an independent jury comprising Deepak Phatak, Professor IIT Mumbai and Dr Gulshan Rai, Director CERT.

A book compiling all the e-governance applications of all the 33 finalists ''People Ready Governance'' was also released on the occasion.

UNI