The Singapore government aims to reduce costs and boost efficiency through web 2.0 and backend integration.
As part of its iGov 2010 master plan, the Singapore government has implemented programs to integrate its infrastructure, information, services and IT systems.
One of the major programs is to build common ICT infrastructure for the whole public service. The program, which is in its first year of operation, aims at enabling government agencies to choose from a menu of IT options and help achieve savings from volume discount.
Another program is to share IT systems, under which the government has launched its first attempt to share human resources and finance IT systems for statutory boards.
The program, which now covers 14 statuary boards, is expected to help the government achieve 30% savings in development and operation cost and to reduce 60 claims forms to three only, Lim Hup Seng, deputy secretary (performance), Ministry of Finance, told the iGov Global Exchange Forum yesterday.
In the area of shared service, Singapore has centralized 350 staff across public service and set up common transactional HR and finance services. The program, Lim said, promised to achieve savings of 15% for three years, and Singapore is looking into new scope of shared services among the government.
Moving forward, Lim said the government hoped to develop a shared enterprise architecture and to leverage networks from public, private and people sectors.