The swift development, growth and proliferation of the Internet-based services have led to the option and acceptance of these Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which have also seeped into the public services. In fact, offering web-based e-governance services has become a global trend. Web-based services have also been implemented by the Indian government to its citizens as ICT has become an important part of routine life. E-governance is used to deliver and communicate information about government services such as VAT, vehicle registrations and other taxes, declarations to police, government bids, enrollment in higher education, application for building permission, change of address, registration of new company and tenders, etc., to its citizens for better governance. This paper presents a descriptive analysis by identifying the relationship between demographic factors such as gender, age, education and occupation and the perceived relative advantage, perceived Internet advantage, perceived reliability and perceived safety.

Governance refers to the capacity of governing systems to coordinate policy and to solve public problems in a complex context (Pierre, 2001). The origin of the word governance comes from the Greek word Kebernon, meaning ‘to steer,’ though today, to govern not only would mean to steer but also to control and to influence from a position of authority. “Governance” of a nation, is defined as the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country (World Bank, 1994). No matter what kind of government governs and controls a nation, whether capitalist, socialist, democratic or republic, the government is the backbone of every nation. To be an effective one, public welfare should be the key agenda. In the late 1990s, there was a global wave of change, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) became the much sought after way of life. The advent of ICT revolutionized the global competition, changing the way private and public organizations reinvent themselves, adapting and undergoing ‘continuous nonlinear innovation’ both for survival and ongoing subsistence (Ndou, 2004). The dawn of e-governance has opened new vistas of opportunities to enhance governance through improved efficiency, enhanced citizen participation, new services and strengthening of the global information infrastructure (Stoker, 1998). Just like any technological system, e-governance also brings along numerous benefits, the greatest advantage being to create a ‘single window’ through which citizens can access 247, reduces data entry errors cutting down human contact, increases transparency, safety and improves the service quality of the services provided.

Information Technology Journal, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), E-governance VAT, E-governance, India, Demographic variables, Relative advantage, Perception .