Policy For Website Development, Hosting & Maintenance
1. Need for the Policy
Businesses world over are leveraging on the potential of Internet as a mass media and are using it to communicate with their clients. These users or citizens are also expecting the governments
to perform in a similar fashion and thus expect to get the latest and up-to-date information about any change in Act, Rule, Regulation, all new Notifications, Circulars, activities, events,
schemes etc. from its web site at the click of mouse. However our website is riddled with the problems of obsolete and old content as well as the absence of desired content.
Sensitization of the concerned persons towards the need for timely and up-to-date information on the web is extremely important. Therefore it is suggested that a well defined
strategy may be worked out within the Department to ensure timely provision of content to be posted on the website. There should be clear understanding within the organization about
where the responsibility lies for providing content for the website, and in what form it should be presented to the web team.
2. Website Features
Since the website of a department is its reflection to the outside world, it ought to be seen as an integral part of the Department, rather than an external entity. Hence all facets
of the department and its activities should be appropriately reflected on the website. A clear strategic vision of what the department aims to achieve through its website has to be generated.
A special policy should be laid down to handle (publish/ remove/ archive) time sensitive information.
3. Key issues in building a Department Website:
i) Reliability & Authenticity-
A Department website is an official source of Government/departmental information. Hence it is very critical that whatever is hosted on the site is authentic and duly verified by concerned
authorities, before publishing.
ii) Updated information-
It is extremely important to keep the contents updated or else users will lose interest after visiting the site once or twice. The visitors expect to get the latest and up-to-date
information about the Act, Rules, Notifications, and Circulars etc. even before it is released in press or elsewhere. Hence, whenever any new activity takes place in a department,
the news/information must get reflected on the website atleast simultaneously, if not earlier than it appears in the Press.
iii) User friendly-
The Department website must be a user friendly place on the Internet available to citizens for improved access & dissemination of government information and services.
iv) Accountable-
All citizen interactions in the form of queries/suggestions/grievances etc. must be attended to timely & carefully. In fact, the government/ department website must be used as an effective tool for prompt response.