One app, 1,000 services: mKeralam

One app, 1,000 services: mKeralam

What has happened?

Kerala, which last year became the first State to declare Internet a basic human right, has notched up another first by launching mKeralam, an app that will serve as a single window for accessing thousands of government services.

Background

The two-day #FUTURE conclave, Kerala’s first-ever Global Digital Summit in Kochi

Kerala State Information Technology Mission

Developed by the Kerala State Information Technology Mission, the app will initially offer 100 citizen-oriented public services of 20 departments, before eventually expanding to 1,000 services from more than 80 departments.

Services covered already available on website

The services accessible via mKeralam are already available throughwww.kerala.gov.in

The idea is to offer simplified access to citizen services across multiple platforms, including website, mobile app, and Akshaya centres so that citizens can pick whichever mode is most convenient

Setting up infrastructure

The government is fast-tracking the setting up of Statewide infrastructure to render all public services accessible on the mobile app.

Kerala Wi-Fi

• It will be accessible at 1,000 public spaces evenly distributed across the State
• The Wi-Fi will be available at hospitals, bus stops, parks, libraries, government offices, and other such places where public services are accessed.

5,000 Wi-Fi spots

The objective is to have 5,000 Wi-Fi spots in five years by adding 1,000 spots each year

Cap on use:There would be unlimited access to government services, but there will be a cap on its use for other purposes, such as accessing social networking sites.

• Criticized

This differential provision of Wi-Fi, for government services versus other uses, has drawn some criticism on the grounds that it violates the principle of net neutrality.

One year unlimited free access

The rollout of KFI was marked by the government granting, for a period of one year, unlimited free access to the network to all who registered digitally for the #Future summit