Bangalore: The Government plans to spend over Rs 12,410 crore in the next five years on Information and Communication related e-governance projects to bring about transformation of the rural Indian economy, a top official said today (November 2).

Delivering his address on "Government as ICT enabler" seminar at the ongoing Bangalore IT.COM 2003, Union Industrial Policy and Promotion Secretary Rajeeva Ratna Shah said the plan to be spread between 2003 and 2007 was still on the anvil.

He said the project was being undertaken by the Department of Information Technology and the Department of Personal and Administrative Reforms.

Shah, who was till recently the Union IT secretary, said the Government was mulling a Government to Business portal aimed at foreign direct investment, where investors would have a one stop access for filing applications and getting clearances before and after they invest.

"This is in the concept stage, but it is entirely doable and viable," he said.

Asserting that an ambitious plan of an ICT run society in rural parts of the country was driven by the Prime Minister's Office and the Union Cabinet, Shah said the various ministries, academic institutions, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs and financial institutions were involved in the project.

He said the effort was to reduce citizen Government interface and bring in transparency in administration.

PTI