(a) What do you understand by the term ‘good governance’? How far recent initiatives in terms of e-Governance steps taken by the State have helped the beneficiaries? Discuss with suitable examples. (b) Online methodology is being used for day-to-day meetings, institutional approvals in the administration and for teaching and learning in education sector to the extent telemedicine in the health sector is getting popular with the approvals of the competent authority. No doubt, it has advantages and disadvantages for both the beneficiaries and the system at large. Describe and discuss the ethical issues involved in the use of online method particularly to the vulnerable section of the society.

(a) Good governance and e-governance

Good governance is administration that is participatory, transparent, accountable, responsive, equitable and rule-of-law based, as articulated by the 2nd ARC and UN-ESCAP. E-governance operationalises these ideals by cutting discretion, delay and leakage.

• Direct Benefit Transfer and Aadhaar-enabled payments curbed leakages (PAHAL for LPG subsidy saved thousands of crores).
• DigiLocker, UMANG and e-District bring services to the citizen's doorstep.
• One Nation One Ration Card empowers migrant workers through portability.

(b) Ethical issues of the online method

Online meetings, approvals, e-learning and telemedicine expand reach and efficiency, but raise concerns for vulnerable sections.

• The digital divide excludes the poor, elderly, rural and disabled — a question of justice and equity.
• Data privacy, informed consent and confidentiality, especially in telemedicine.
• Impersonal service and quality dilution can erode empathy and accountability.

The remedy is an inclusive, rights-based rollout — assisted access, data protection under the DPDP Act, 2023, and a blended offline-online model so that efficiency never overrides equity.