Exploring the Attributes of Technology in Addressing Challenges of Governance and Development: The Case of E-Uparjan in Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Role of technology in governance and development has been an area of discourse that has generated a renewed interest among practitioners and policy makers to address the challenges of sustainable development. This essay explores the interlinkage between the attributes of technology, governance, and development through a technology enabled foodgrains procurement initiative – e-Uparjan – rolled out in Madhya Pradesh. The improvisation using a low-cost information and communication technology (ICT) has potential to play a critical role to streamline the procurement operations and secure farmer payoff under the price support scheme. e-Uparjan can be seen as a case of digital inclusion of farmers and state agencies in foodgrains procurement. The faster and near real-time information flow along the decision support system can plug-in the fund leakage, reduce transaction costs and mitigate the rent seeking behaviour of actors along the value chain.

Keywords: Technology, Governance, Development, Madhya Pradesh

JEL Classification: H19, H77, I38, O33, Z18