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[Global corruption report 2003] E-government and access to information
Bhatnagar, Subhash
Bhatnagar, Subhash
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"Among the many tools being developed to fight corruption, there has been much focus lately on e-government – the use of communications technology like the Internet and mobile phones to open up government processes and enable greater public access to information.1 E-government includes the publication of information on a website so that citizens can download application forms for a variety of government services. It can also involve the actual delivery of services, such as filing a tax return or renewing a licence. More sophisticated applications include processing on-line payments. In developed countries, these services are offered in a self-service mode through the Internet, often via portals that are a single point of interaction between the citizen and a broad range of departments. In developing countries, on-line service counters may operate in a department offering services related only to that department. In some countries, citizen service centres have been created at convenient locations where citizens can access on-line services of several departments. At these counters, run either by departmental or private operators, the public does not directly interact with computer screens, and collection of payments is often handled through conventional means. The benefits from the on-line delivery of services include convenience (location and time) and shorter waiting periods. E-government systems may also lead to greater transparency and reduced administrative corruption. So far, however, the reduction of corruption opportunities has often been an incidental benefit, rather than an explicit objective of e-government."
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Book chapter
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2003
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1861974760
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With permission of the license/copyright holder