KERALA: Incorporating IT

The RD Net

project inter-connects all the 152 block offices and Kerala is the first

state in India to do so. The schemes are being monitored online. Access to

developmental news has increased manifold after the implementation of the

project–commissioned with the help of National Informatics Center–and the

connectivity to the blocks was established through NICNET. Files containing

information compiled in the block offices are sent to the servers at the

District Headquarters through dial-up access. The information from the district

headquarters can be sent to the Rural Development Commissioner’s office in

Thiruvananthapuram. The Principal Secretary and Secretary to the Minister for

Rural Development are also connected to RD NET. The mail system can handle

information in Malayalam.

Automation of controller of

entrance examinations department

The office of the

controller of entrance examinations was automated to bring in efficiency and

transparency in the processing and allocation of colleges as per the choice of

the students. This was determined by the ranks secured by the individual

students. There are 22 engineering colleges with around five to six disciplines

in each college. The allocation of the branch of choice in the selected college

on the basis of the rank in the examination as well as communal reservation

principles used to take weeks, creating anxiety among students and parents. With

the OMR method, the evaluation process itself was made transparent and the

publication of results and allotment of seats is now fully computerized. This

has not only reduced the delays, but made the whole process simpler, transparent

and user-friendly.

Integrated services project

Integrated

services, involving payment of utility bills, such as electricity and water,

remittances of taxes or fares–property tax, professional tax, building tax,

motor vehicles tax, university examinations fees and trade license fees–applications

for driving license, ration card or change of address during issue of driving

licence and the ‘tatkal’ passport, would commence by May this



year.

‘Kudumbasree’ Project

Under ‘Kudumbasree’–the

program for state poverty eradication, computer centers have been established

under the Development of Women and Children in Urban Areas (DWCUA) component.

Under the first attempt of this program, self-help groups of women were able to

double their assets and generate sufficient income for their livelihood at

Thiruvananthapuram. This experience is being replicated to 34 other municipal

towns of Kerala.

Government automation project

As part of the

automation of government departments, huge volumes of data lying with the

departments is being digitized and ported to the automated systems. This process

of digitization outsourced by TSPs to local firms will create employment

opportunities in data entry. The first such attempt was made in the registration

department, which has 308 offices all over the state and where an adaptation of

the Hyderbad CARD project is being attempted in phases. The first phase covered

four offices and the entire digitization work was outsourced. To complete this

work, it took three months for ten girls working in two shifts of eight hours

each indicating the employment potential of this sector.

CARD project

CARD is along the

lines of the project implemented in Andhra Pradesh. CARD is a major IT project

designed to eliminate the maladies affecting the system of registration through

electronic delivery of all registration services. The project is proposed to be

implemented in 14 sub registrar offices covering 14 districts of the state in

the first phase. On implementation of the project, the registration of all

categories of documents, issuance of encumbrance certificates and certified

copies are expected to be fully computerized. Implementation of the revised

system is expected to minimize the transaction time from the present two weeks

to one hour.

Friends

This refers

to fast reliable integrated efficient networked disbursement of services. The

concept aims at providing a single window for the citizens to remit at the same

counter, various utility bills like electricity bill, telephone bill, water bill

and various taxes. It will also act as a helpdesk and provide information

regarding different government schemes and help the public in their interaction

with the different departments. Against the conventional timings of government

offices, the counter will operate from 8:00 AM in the morning till 8:00 PM in

the evening. A pilot project for the same is being conducted at Trivandrum

Corporation.