The development of electronic administration in the Podkarpackie Province in the 2007–2013 financial perspective

Abstract

The overview of research on the development of the information society has indicated that (at the beginning of EU’s 2007–2013 financial perspective) both Poland and Podkarpackie Province were rated very low in the rankings. Therefore, it was desirable to launch all kinds of initiatives to improve the situation. On the one hand, the measures to be taken were supposed to provide access to information and communication technologies (the purchase of equipment, building the access network and the development of public services); on the other hand, they were intended to focus on the demand side associated with an increased awareness of using these technologies. The operational programmes approved by the European Commission formulated tasks giving the opportunity for the development of the information society. The main measures implemented in the Podkarpackie Region were financed from the 3rd priority axis of the Regional Operational Programme of the Podkarpackie Province for 2007–2013, which was aimed at preparing the ICT infrastructure of public entities by implementation of systems enabling efficient management and supply of necessary services to inhabitants. As part of the 3rd priority axis of ROP PP 2007–2013, 60 agreements on co-financing were concluded for implementation of projects with the value of 348 512 876,19 PLN. As regards the development of information society in the region, two key projects should be given special attention, i.e. the Podkarpackie Public e-Administration System (PSeAP) and the Medical Information System in Podkarpackie (PSIM). What has to be particularly stressed is a large impact of the implemented projects on the development of electronic services in the Podkarpackie Province, particularly in the areas of administration and healthcare. It is also worth emphasizing that the majority of the introduced public e-services was not available earlier in the region, and the current infrastructure ranks Podkarpackie Province among more developed regions of the EU in terms of infrastructural development.