ICT Possibilities in Management of Public Resources

In a developing country like India, the challenge is to integrate new technologies in the management and planning of public resources in a more effective manner. This article has suggested some examples and approaches to integrate geo-informatics and mobile technology into diverse sectors such as water management, forest fire management and planning of roads. This article is based on three case studies from India where geo-informatics and mobile technology have been used creatively towards management of public resources. The processes and methods in this article highlight the approaches through which these vital public resources can be actively managed. In business, organizations need to innovate or die. In the public sector, it is unlikely that the organization will collapse due to lack of innovation. However, better management of essential public resources can make a substantial difference. Therefore, especially in public sector, it is important to share the case studies and recognize the best practices to encourage the adoption of creative methods for resource management. It is hoped that the article will be of value to public administrators and public organizations in successfully designing and enforcing technology-led best practices in their e-governance projects.