Patna, Nov 14 - Bihar has sought the help of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, the chief of India's Unique Identification Database Authority, to improve the state's e-governance system.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar disclosed at a function here Friday evening that Nilekani will visit Patna Nov 17 and hold talks with senior government officials to strengthen e-governance in the state.

All 37 district headquarters and 470 block headquarters in Bihar can be accessed online through the Bihar State Wide Area Network. "We have made progress in e-governance in the last few years - from Remington typewriters to online access," the chief minister said.

Bihar had formally adopted e-governance as a state policy in 2006 on the advice of former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

The state has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the objective of bringing about an Information Technology (IT) transformation in the state. The SPV was constituted as a tripartite joint venture of state-owned Beltron, Tata Consultancy Services and Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (ILFS) at an estimated cost of Rs. 380 million.

The SPV is preparing a comprehensive special package for e-governance. Besides, separate e-governance packages have been created for different departments by the joint venture partners, based on specific requirements.

The state government has already equipped legislators with sophisticated laptop computers under the national e-governance plan of the central government.

The previous state government, headed by Rabri Devi had brought several departments online and launched an official web site of the state.

Her husband, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, also a former chief minister, has often rubbished IT as a "tool of the elite". (IANS)