KERALA To be first 100% e-Literate state in India

Coming November, all villages in Kerala will have access to high-speed internet access, making it India's first state with broadband (defined as 256 kpbs and above) connectivity in every village.

Kerala has about 1,400 villages and 999 panchayats, and this initiative is expected to provide a major boost to the Akshaya scheme - the flagship information, communication and technology (ICT) initiative being undertaken by the state government - to make the state 100 per cent e-literate.

The Kerala government started a campaign to connect the unconnected areas of the state last year. As of now, the government claims to have provided broadband connections in all except nine villages where it feels it is not feasible to provide connection because of geographic location.

When the campaign was launched last year, all except 175 villages had broadband connection. The state government provided speedy clearance and provided land to set up telecom towers to expedite the process. As of now, only nine villages, in the most inaccessible areas, left to be connected. The government plans to announce its achievement, of being the first state to have 100 per cent broadband connectivity.

The Akshaya scheme, launched earlier by Kerala to make at least one member in each household computer literate, has so far covered all 999 panchayats in the state. About 2,200 Akshaya centres (similar to the Central government's proposed citizens' service centres) today conducts computer literacy programme in Kerala villages other than proving various citizen-centric services like payment of electricity bills, phone bills and disseminating information about various micro finance schemes.

Some of the center’s having broadband connectivity also provide services like eFiling of income tax returns, getting online applications of the public services examination and getting applications forms for various purposes from the websites of the state government.

This goes without a doubt that Kerala is fast becoming the first 100% e-literate state in the entire country, which although is something to be really proud of, but also for other states to look deeper into.

[CONTENTS COURTSY: Memoriesofindia]