The government has enhanced the allocation for e-governance by 82 per cent to Rs 719 crore (Rs 7.19 billion) in 2007-08 to fund the ambitious programme.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram, while presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, said support for e-governance at the state-level has also been increased to Rs 500 crore.

"The government has launched an ambitious project of e-governance with an objective of increasing efficiency, convenience, accessibilty and transparency in its functions and to take its services to the common citizens," he said.

"The government has proposed to enhance the allocation for e-governance from Rs 395 crore (Rs 3.95 billion) in 2006-07 to Rs 719 crore (Rs 7.19 billion) in 2007-08," Chidambaram said in the Budget.

"Since the Central government supports e-governance action plans at state levels, the government also proposes to increase allocation for such supports to Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) in 2007-08 from Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) in 2006-07."

Chidambaram also provided Rs 33 crore (Rs 330 million) for a new scheme of manpower development for the software export industry, which has for long complained about the lack of quality professionals and inadequate training for the sector.

The National e-governance Programme, which was launched last year, was estimated at Rs 23,000 crore (Rs 230 billion) over the next five years.

The government has unveiled 26 projects under the programme as private-public partnerships.