An Empirical Study on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in SUWIDHA (Single User-friendly Window Disposal Helpline for Applicants)—An e-Governance Project of the Government of Punjab

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) has changed entirely the way information is communicated. There is hardly an area where it has not got its application, and the government is not an exception. The Indian government has constantly been accused of non-transparency and red-tapism in disclosing information and delivery of services to its citizens. However, with the Right to Information Act and national e-governance projects in place, things have started moving. The e-governance projects that have been operationalised are still in an elementary stage and need some time to move smoothly. SUWIDHA (Single User-friendly Window Disposal Helpline for Applicants), which is an e-governance project of the government of the state of Punjab in India, was started in 2002 in one district and soon expanded to all district headquarters. Citizens have greatly benefited from the services provided by it, but there is still scope for further improvement. This study was undertaken to empirically examine the level of service quality at SUWIDHA. Results show that SUWIDHA has done fairly well in delivering service quality, but there are some areas of concerns related to citizen centricity.