Govt approves Rs 98.2cr for creating email infrastructure

The government has approved Rs 98.2 crore for building email infrastructure under which IDs will be created for 50 lakh users as the use of private email services by its personnel has been restricted.

The Government had, on February 18, notified the email policy which said email service provided by NIC should be used for all official communications. According to a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "The government of India has also approved a project for Rs 98.2 crore to strengthen the email infrastructure.

Once implemented, the new email system will provide for 50 lakh email ids for government users across the country." As per the email policy, government personnel have been barred from using private e-mail services for official communications.

The new policy also bars officials from using the forward option in e-mails to non-government e-mail services. This policy is applicable to all employees of central government and employees of those state or union territories governments that use the e-mail services of provided by central government.

As per new policy, government officials will be allocated two e-mail ids -- one based on designation and the other on name. Prasad said NIC does not track the usage of private emails by government organisations. "However, it is anecdotally known that several government bodies are using private emails," he said.