Here's a little known fact: The government (state, centre and quasi-government bodies included) is the single largest spender on information technology in India for many years now. The spends haven't been for nothing – some of the citizen facing services of the government have become available online, reducing (but not eliminating) the hassle of visiting offices. Here is a list of some commonly used government services that are available online. I've used all these services myself, and the last leg on some of these "online" servivces still involves posting a physical paper to the appropriate department, which sometimes isn't a pleasant experience. If you have used these services, let us know how effective you found them for yourself.

Filing Tax Returns
Nothing is certain but death and taxes, goes an idiom. While the vast majority of us would not like to pay taxes (citing whatever justification we can), it is a duty to pay, and a crime not to.  If you are an employee, your employer is deducting tax from your salary and paying it on your behalf anyway. All that you need to do is file your income tax. For decades, income tax filing was considered a cumbersome task, but you can do it online fairly easily. Check out how to go about it.

Does it work? The process is not entirely online. Mailing the PDF printout and looking for the right denomination of stamps is a painful ask. However, the system is in place, and works for most. But the process needs to be completely automated to be more effective.

Booking Train Tickets
The Indian Railways' booking website is one of the busiest websites in India. Sure, IRCTC.co.in does have its share of downtime and slow response, but  the site has actually improved over the years in terms of uptime, responsiveness, and the even the interface. Moreover, the site now also lets you book flight tickets (and not just on Air India or Indian Airlines), along with special tourist train rides. You get info on routes, stations, timings, and more.

Does it work? You can book tickets online 120 days before your journey, just as if you were to stand in a ticket queue. The website gives you train selection, booking status, ticket availability, and cancellation options. You can pick between e-tickets and i-tickets; with an e-ticket, an email confirmation serves as the ticket; an i-ticket is a physical ticket couriered to you. It's all very convenient — you can pay via credit cards or online banking, and you can specify seat preferences. I haven't had a problem with cancellations, but I've heard of slip-ups. Overall, this is the best website for a government service that I've used.

Applying For Important Documents
Identity documents — PAN card, Voter ID card, and the all-important passport — can be applied for online. Apart from establishing your citizenship and identity, one or more of these documents are required when applying for a loan or opening a bank account, among other things.

A PAN card is a mandate for every salaried professional. To apply for one online, head over here. You can pay the fee for the card online, but you'll have to print out the acknowledgement, sign it, and affix a photograph on it before mailing it to the listed address.

A voter ID card is another document that serves almost universally as identity proof. This process for applying for one is not entirely online: After signing the printout of the completed form, you'll have to look for the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of your Assembly Constituency (AC). On the bright side, the website does give you that address. Read about the process here.

Applying for a passport is cumbersome, be it online or in person. If you are doing it online, you'll know which documents need to be filled in and where they need to be submitted. The online service is more popular among those looking to renew a passport. Click here and follow the steps on the site to apply for a passport.

Does it work? The process is quite easy in all three cases. While most of these let you can track progress of the how far the documents have reached for yourself, the websites themselves are buggy. If you survive the laboured process of filling up the forms and getting the required acknowledgements, the rest of the process is well described, but it requires time. In the case of a passport, of course, you need to be physically present for certain processes to be completed, and a police verification of your address follows.

Right To Information
The Right to Information Act, 2005 was put in place to ensure and promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. An RTI can be used as evidence to support a consumer grievance complaint, but you cannot use an RTI response as a complaint by itself. Legalese apart, this is quite a potent tool to have in your armoury to support your claim, if used wisely. Head here for the online form, which is quite easy to fill out especially if you've figured out details of the concerned ministry.

Does it work? Now you can file an RTI online, but for that you need to figure out which government department manages issue for which you are filing the request (or "complaint"). Like all other documents, you need to print out the final acknowledgement, sign it and send it to the concerned office with the required fees. And like most things on this list, this too is not a completely automated process either. If the passport website is buggy and takes forever to get requests through, this one gets my vote of being the most cumbersome to deal with, right from the word go!

Going Postal!
The postal service in India (India Post) is trying hard to keep itself alive, following the onslaught of email at first, and then cheap (and efficient) courier services. After setting up a Twitter account to let hapless users vent their anguish, India Post even had plans to set up a mobile remittance scheme for money orders in collaboration with BSNL, which is yet to see light of day.

Does it work? Well, there is nothing really there to work yet! The money order scheme is yet to be implemented and the last tweet on India Post's account is dated to January 8, 2012. So the agency needs to do a lot more to keep the snail mail alive in this age of super-fast communication.

Tags : Internet, Government, Kamakshi