Though Kerala already has 100 percent literacy rate, it will soon have 100 percent digital literacy too, according to chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy. This will help all state residents to use e-governance optimally, the CM said. 

"There is 100 per cent literacy in Kerala. The aim is to go for 100 per cent digital literacy and considerable strategic investment in technology and e-governance," Chandy said, while inaugurating a consultative workshop on the topic, “Citizen Centric e-Government”, in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The workshop was organised by the department of electronics and information technology (DeitY) along with NASSCOM.

Chandy said that the e-governance services have now reached 100 per cent people of the state. "The ambition now is to declare the state as 100 per cent digital and promote the culture of open governance," he said. 

Chandy said that the public is free to lodge their complaints through multiple channels (manually or online, or through call centre).

"Citizens are confident that they will be heard and they can even track their complaints," he added.   According to Chandy, Kerala government has developed a sustainable model of e-governance. "There are web-based services and ICT-based call centres; accessibility has been the primary purpose here," he said.   

Chandy also released the first version of the state e-governance roadmap. 

Delivering the presidential address, P K Kunhalikutty, minister of IT and industries, Kerala, said that the state government believes in being ahead of all other states in the area of e-governance, particularly in the use of technology for delivering speedy services to citizens.

"Connectivity is very good in Kerala as compared to many states. The penetration of mobile is high. The access to technology for citizens in the state and abroad is also very high; there is no reason why Kerala cannot become totally e-literate in the future," he said.  

"There are some issues, like integration and coordination but we are quite confident that e-governance will rise to its next stage in the state," he added.   

During the daylong workshop, the  Departments of Revenue, Transport and Police showcased e-Government solutions implemented by them under the NeGP.  The workshop was organised by DeitY along with NASSCOM.

The consultative meet is part of the 50 workshops being organised in all States and Union Territories  (UTs) to amplify the mission and message of the NeGP – "Public Services Closer Home".

With many states in various stages of rolling out public services on the e-Government platform, the NeGP Apex Committee decided to create awareness about NeGP initiatives among stakeholders, discuss challenges in delivery of e-Services, identify state-specific issues and understand emerging technologies from industry. The first workshop was hosted in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in July 2011 and the workshop in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) was 22nd in the series.