According to a state official, apart from preparing software and strategy, the SPV would raise funds for the development and spread of e-governance, and develop information technology infrastructure.

Therefore, the government does not have to finance the project initially, but make the necessary payment in due course of time.

Nitish Kumar had taken the first step towards e-governance by providing laptops to the top brass in the state administration to keep records of their departmental activities and projects.

Forty-five laptops had been given initially to senior officials of the rank of commissioners and secretaries in various departments. In the second phase, other officials will be given the laptops, the official informed.

The tech-savvy chief minister's official residence will be made the main operational centre for e-governance, according to a resolution approved by the state cabinet Thursday. The scheme to computerise the chief minister's residence and secretariat is estimated at Rs. 3.8 million, informed Chauhan.

The previous state government, headed by Rabri Devi had brought several departments online and launched an official web site of the state. She had also announced last year that 9,000 village councils of the state would be computerised.

Her husband, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, also a former chief minister, has often rubbished informationtTechnology as a "tool of the elite".