K-Smart, the state government’s flagship project to make all services online through local self-government bodies, will come into effect from January 1, 2024.
Hon. Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan will officially inaugurate the K-Smart software application.
Minister for Local Self-Government and Excise MB Rajesh will preside over the function which will be held on January 1, 2024 at 10.30 am at the Gokulam Convention Center in Kochi. K-Smart mobile app will be launched by P Rajeev, Minister of Law, Industry and Coal.
With the introduction of K-Smart or Kerala Solutions for Managing Administrative Reformation and Transformation, the services of local self-government bodies will be available at the fingertips. In the first phase, K-Smart will be deployed in all municipal corporations and municipalities in Kerala.
K-Smart will be extended to Gram Panchayats on April 1. With this, services from all the local self-government bodies in the state will be available to the public without going to the offices on time. K-Smart was developed by the Information Kerala Mission for the Department of Local Self-Government.
Through the K-Smart application, it is possible to submit applications and complaints for services online and to know their status online. For that integrated messaging system is provided where receipt of applications and complaints are available on complainant/applicant’s login, WhatsApp and e-mail.
K-Smart will be a new acceleration system for Kerala’s progress in e-governance. Seeing this remarkable step by Kerala, other states have already approached IKM to develop an app on the model of K-Smart.
Hibi Eden MP, TJ Vinod MLA, KJ Maxey MLA, planning committee member Prof. Jiju P. Alex, Principal Secretary, Local Self-Government Department, Dr. Sharmila Mary Joseph IAS will also speak.
Kochi Municipality Mayor Adv. M. Anil Kumar will welcome and IKM Controller of Administration Thimble Maggi PS will deliver the vote of thanks. K-Smart divides the functions of local bodies and the services they offer into 35 modules and makes them available online to people through a single platform.
The service can be availed by entering the required information and accessing the respective modules with their own login on the web portal. In the first phase, eight services will be available through K-Smart namely civil registration (birth and death marriage registration), business facilitation (licenses for trades and industries), property tax, user management, file management system, finance module, building permission module and public grievance redressal.
With the implementation of K-Smart, non-residents will be able to access services from their respective local institutions without having to visit them directly. By completing video KYC with login ID, things like marriage registration can be done from abroad.
These services will be available online to people through K-Smart mobile app. Digitalization of plot and building information using GIS technology makes building permits available to people at the fastest time.
Through the “Know Your Land” feature in K-Smart, the public can know what types of buildings can be constructed in a place. The software automatically verifies that the plans submitted for building construction are prepared according to the rules, thus simplifying field inspections and obtaining construction permits faster.
People and licensees can also check permit information online at any time through K-Smart. You can go to the place and scan it through the app to find out whether it is included in coastal management legal limits, railway airport zones, environmentally sensitive areas, approved master plans etc.
All the information like how high the building can be built, how many meters the set back is can be obtained through this. K-Smart Online integrates technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, GIS/special data, chat bots, message integration, cloud computing, and API integration between various software.
Also, the second phase will ensure further activities using many technologies like Chat GPT, Machine Learning, Data Science, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Internet of Things etc. A robust backend ensures uninterrupted services.
Constant complaints of late service and tiring office visits can be addressed through this system. For example, if a building permit is to be issued in Niwa, the overseer, engineer, assistant executive engineer, executive engineer, superintending engineer and secretary are seen.
It will offer three tiers of service on K-Smart. With this, it is possible to do things in a transparent, corruption-free and timely manner. With this, the workload of the officers can be reduced to a large extent through K-Smart. Also, it ensures that the service is delivered on time by the staff and the workload is reduced so that the staff can utilize their efficiency in other administrative matters.
There have been instances where private companies have taken over the software development of various government sector organizations and left midway. But Information Kerala Mission, which works under the Department of Local Self-Government, is the first organization in the country to carry out in-house development.
Therefore, seeing this in-house development of IKM, the National Urban Digital Mission has also approved IKM as a partner for software development.
The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) has empaneled the Information Kerala Mission as the implementing partner for the implementation of the Urban Governance Platform (NUGP) in the States and Union Territories.
Front Office Support and Back Office Support A separate help desk system has been established using IKM’s technical experts.
A centralized Rapid Response Team has been deployed at IKM headquarters to address technical issues arising out of this on a real-time basis. The department also requests the cooperation of all officials and public in this regard to resolve all the issues that may arise during the transition period while implementing KSMART.
