President Pranab Mukherjee declares Kerala as first digital state

President Pranab Mukherjee has formally declared Kerala as the country’s first digital state.
It was announced by President after launching a digital empowerment campaign of state at a function to be held in Kozhikkode. The campaign aims at bridging the digital divide by 2020.
This declaration was made considering the rapid digital strides of the state which has achieved 100 percent mobile connectivity, 75 percent e-literacy, maximum digital banking, broadband connectivity upto the Panchayat level, linking bank accounts with Aadhar cards and e-district plan in all districts.
Key facts

• Kerala was able to achieve this feat due to the combined efforts of the government and various social organizations in the state
• State has successfully linked all villages in the state with broadband connectivity under the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project. It is first state in country to do so.
• The broadband connectivity has helped to provide high-speed internet in all gram panchayats and remote areas of the state.
• Apart from NOFN it, two projects started by the government in 2002 viz. Akshaya and IT@School – also has helped it to attain high e literacy.
• Under these projects over 2,500 Akshaya service centres functioning in rural and urban areas have helped generate awareness in e-governance.
• State also has over 600 e-governance applications covering almost all departments of state that play pioneering role in delivering e-services to citizens.
• As a digital state, Kerala has a mobile tele-density of 95% and Internet access covering over 60 % of the population.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2016