Capacity Building Training Programmes on e-Governance, like the Specialized e-Governance Training Programme (STeP) and Chief Information Officers (CIO) Training Programme, have been attended by many Government Officers across India. Till date, we have more than 175 trained e-Governance CIOs and over 5000 Government Officers trained under short-term training programmes conducted by NISG under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). These programmes have benefited the participants in shaping or contributing to their department’s e-Governance initiatives. It was time for us make an effort to connect e-Governance practitioners all over India, to help them take their learning to the next level – learning through sharing!
The e-Governance Community of Practice (eGovCoP) was conceptualized to achieve this – to connect all like-minded government officers who want and can make a difference in the area of e-Governance. This effort is aimed towards building an e-Governance Community of Practice by keeping officers, who have attended some e-Governance training programme, connected with each other in their city. Face-to-face interactions and networking generates greater learning through sharing of experiences, best practices, successes and failures.
e-Governance Community of Practice was initially launched in 5 cities – Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Delhi. NISG helped the members to connect with each other and kick start the process of setting up eGovCoP Chapters in each of these cities. The aim was to make these chapters self-sustained and self-motivated, driven by passion and interest of the members. Efforts are now underway to initiate 10 more city-centric chapters.

It marked the formal launch of the e-Governance Community of Practice (e-GovCoP) as Pune took the lead by organizing the first eGovCoP meet. On 15th February, 2014, 12 members, engaged in e-Governance projects in various departments, attended the first meeting of the eGovCoP Pune Chapter. Dr. Piyush Gupta, AVP, National Institute for Smart Government, joined the group via Web Conference. He highlighted the importance of such meetings and assured that all kind of support will be provided to make each eGovCoP Chapter successful. Dr. Gupta reiterated the need for the eGovCoP - an effort to connect all like-minded government officers who want and can make a difference in the area of e-Governance in India. Mr. T. N. Munde, Superintending Engineer, MWRD, and CIO Alumnus, who leads the eGovCoP Pune Chapter, presented the welcome to the members.
Two knowledge-sharing sessions related to two projects were conducted. Mr. Sharad Dabhadkar, Executive Engineer, MWRD, and STeP Alumnus, presented the change management initiatives carried out under e-Jalseva project by the Water Resources Department, Government of Maharashtra. Dr. S. H. Shinde, Dy. Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Department, and CIO Alumnus, discussed the need and objectives of CCTNS project, an MMP under the NeGP. The sharing of change management initiatives carried out in CCTNS project were also discussed. The meeting was well coordinated by Mr. Pravin S. Kolhe, Executive Engineer, Water Resources Department, Government of Maharashtra and Alumnus of IIM Indore & NISG eGPX.
Being the first eGovCoP Pune Chapter meet, the response from other departments, implementing e-Governance projects, was limited. But the Pune Chapter Lead, Mr. T. N. Munde assured that measures were being taken to coordinate with all departments to increase the visibility and coverage of the eGovCoP and expand the eGovCoP Pune Chapter member base.
Kudos to the eGovCoP Pune Chapter for being the pioneers!