APAC Govts Still Lag In Delivery Of Quality Digital Services For Citizens: Research
A study has found that APAC citizens are more digitally engaged than ever, but governments still lag in the delivery of those services. It revealed that the use of in-person government services halved across APAC nations in the last two years, and 77 per cent of citizens now primarily use a digital platform to access government services.
The research conducted by Deloitte called “Digital Smart: Advancing digital government for citizens in the Asia-Pacific”, which found APAC citizens are more digitally engaged than ever, but governments still lag in the delivery of those services.
The study found that the use of in-person government services has halved in last two years. It said that 67 per cent of respondents expected the quality of government services to be on par with those offered by the private sector with 41 per cent of people struggling to access digital services on their own, with a lack of basic digital skills and shortfalls in digital infrastructure.
With 900 million new internet users expected to be added to the region (Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Japan, and South Korea) by 2025, the need for investment in digital services by governments continues to grow.
About India, the study revealed that Indians are most likely to say that a positive experience using online government services will improve their trust in government and currently, 89 per cent are more willing to learn new digital skills or use a new platform.
"According to the Deloitte study, 81 per cent of Indian respondents agree that government services have become easier to use, and 78 per cent indicate the quality of services has improved. The study calls out raised expectations too – 86 per cent of Indian respondents expect most government services to be available online over the next five years, and 86 per cent agree that government needs to invest more in technology to better prepare for the future. Easier access, greater transparency and increased data security are specific areas to focus,” said Pradeep Nair, Vice President & Managing Director at VMware India.
