THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Various pro-active initiatives in IT sector, especially e-literacy, e-governance and internet connectivity, have helped Kerala to become India's first fully networked state. President Pranab Mukherjee will formally declare it as Digital State in Kozhikode on Feb 27.
The President will also launch a digital empowerment campaign aimed at bridging the digital divide by 2020, already piloted in Thiruvananthapuram district by carrying out digital literacy training with the help of Student Police Cadets.
Kerala is the first state to lay National Optic Fiber Network providing high-speed Internet to villages. Issuing 1.8 crore digital certificates through e-Districts, 2500-odd Akshaya centres offering e-government services, 97 percent of the population covered under Aadhaar, highest mobile penetration with close to 32 million connections and Kerala State Wide Area Network connecting over 3000 government offices are its significant achievements according to the Kerala State IT Mission.
The ever-changing technology landscape and the recent growth of Internet as well as smartphone penetration of the State, together with the proactive measures of the government to digitally empower citizens had helped the state to become a knowledge-powered economy and also in realising its vision of being the first digital society of the country.
