The latest update on the Website of Lok Sabha Secretariat will give you the impression that the present Union Minister for Textiles and former Minister of Information Technology and Communications Dayanidhi Maran still has his eyes set on the Ministry of IT and Communications! The Lok Sabha Website mentions that Maran's e-mail ID is still minister@mit.gov.in. And interestingly one of his telephone numbers, at his Delhi residence, 011-23019191, is of the General Manager, BSNL, while his permanent residence number, 28122222 is of ICICI Prudential office in Chennai.
Though the official Website of the Ministry of Textiles has acknowledged that Maran is the new Union Minister for Textiles, it does not acknowledge the same in the organization chart which was last updated in April, 2009.
On exploring further, it was found that one of the phone numbers, which is supposed to be at the permanent residence of A. Raja, (04328) 277052, is in an eternal silence mode! Despite many attempts, it gives only a beeping sound followed by an 'unbreakable' silence.
Similarly, the mobile number of Sachin Pilot, the Minister of State for Information Technology, 9868180343, also gives 'this number does not exist' answer. However, all the contact details of Gurudas Kamat, the other State Minister, mentioned on the Lok Sabha website were working. But sadly enough, the Parliament seems to have not yet recognized his ministerial berth. His biography does not mention what he is now.
And coming to the websites of the security agencies, the story is not different either. The e-mail ID of Indian agencies fighting against economic crime (ceib1@bol.net.in) through which general public can information to central agencies also not working.
We have a government that proudly speaks of bridging the digital divide and revolutionizing the country with e-Governance. But finally, when it comes to the government's own sites, if this is the pathetic condition, how do you expect poor Indians to have faith in them? Is it that charity does not begin at home? Or is it that the 'e' in e-Governance stands for eternal errors?
