Eighth Five Year Plan 1990-95 National Informatics Centre August 1990

Abstract

The Eighth Five-Year Plan (1990-95) for the National Informatics Centre (NIC) outlines a strategic initiative to strengthen India’s information and informatics infrastructure, supporting decentralized governance and efficient public administration. With a proposed outlay of Rs. 535 crores—nearly double the Seventh Plan allocation—the plan focuses on developing NICNET, a comprehensive computer-communication network linking 5,300 blocks and numerous villages to district and state administrative centers. Key objectives include creating decision support systems, integrating real-time databases, and facilitating planning and implementation across 60 Central departments, 32 State governments, and 450 district administrations. Major projects such as the DISNIC programme, GRID programme, and NICSAT satellite system aim to standardize administrative databases, enable block-level data sharing, and enhance connectivity. The plan emphasizes capacity building through training government personnel, fostering local governance, and ensuring operational efficiency via decentralized coordination committees. Financial sustainability is pursued through centralized resources and revenue from database services. Overall, the Eighth Plan positions NIC as a pivotal infrastructure for informed decision-making, transparent governance, and inclusive service delivery, aligning technology adoption with administrative modernization.