Mobile Applications: Foresight for next generation of e-Services for inclusive development

Innovative Applications in India and Abroad

 Background

Mobile Government is fast becoming the next inevitable e-direction for the m-government, m-education and m-health practices. One of the reasons for this is the spread and success of mobile/wireless applications and services all around the world. This provides an opportunity for the governments, industry and academia to exploit these new developments and enhance m-services implementations and enable the paradigm shift towards inclusive services for the next generation.

Many countries in the world are implementing mobile based solutions for enhancing the reach of public services to a larger section of the society especially the people in the remote areas. Many innovative application deployed across the world can serve as good practice examples for other countries planning to deploy mobile solutions for enabling Government@24/7.

The World Bank’s ‘India e-Development Thematic Group’ is planning a workshop on July 26, 2009 at The World Bank Office from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm for discussing the potential of mobile applications. Participants will include practitioners from government, NGOs, academia, telecom companies and application services providers. The workshop will include presentations on innovative applications/initiatives and special research based presentations based on the state of development in this field. The deliberations in this workshop will serve to enhance the awareness and understanding about the tremendous potential of mobile, wireless and new media technologies in transforming the delivery of information and transaction services to citizens in future. 

The India e-Development Thematic Group is also planning to prepare a compendium of the innovative mobile applications/ initiatives in India and abroad which will be shared with the participants of the workshop as a resource document. Selected initiatives / applications will be provided an opportunity to make presentations and share experiences during the workshop. In case your organization is involved in development or implementation of mobile based innovative initiatives in the following domains, please send information on the initiative to the undersigned  :  

§         Inclusive Financial Services

§         m- Public services

§         m-learning/education services

§         m-heath services

§         m-agriculture services;

Information on selected initiatives will be included in the resource document to be distributed to the participants of the workshop.   

PS: If you would like to present your application/initiative during the workshop, please send one page abstract to the undersigned at vikaskanungo@... latest by June 20,2009.

Warm Regards

Vikas Kanungo

Consultant - GICT, The World Bank