The national mission on egovernance in urban local bodies will cost Rs 787 crore and cover services and management functions, including online registration and issue of birth and death certificates, approval of building plans and payment of property tax and other utility bills.

``The ministry's motive is to ensure `single window' services to people on `any time, any where basis','' said a senior ministry official. The project will focus on developing an integrated information system to connect all civic bodies in a state.

Aimed at improving the overall work culture and to bring about transparency in the functioning of municipal bodies, the mission will cover 423 cities across the country.

According to ministry sources, the project is already under implementation in some cities. ``It will help urban local bodies to provide improved and faster services, have better information management and transparency, and involve the people in governance,'' a ministry official said.

All 35 cities with a population of 10 lakh or more are proposed to be covered in the current financial year. In the next five years, the project is supposed to cover all the 423 cities having a population of one lakh and above.

But ministry officials are apprehensive about the constraints in implementing the project as the prevailing work culture in civic bodies is against openness and transparency. For this, the employees not only need to be trained but also sensitised about the benefits that will accrue. Political representatives also need to be told about the benefits of e-governance.

UD ministry's initiative, prepared after wide consul will foster better consultation between the public and urban local bodies ensuring ``good governance''.