AKSHAYA CENTRES IN KERALA- LEADING A TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

‘Akshaya centres’ is a government initiated project in the state of Kerala, India to address the problems
of inclusivity and equality in the digital space. As technology advances and the nature of work undergoes
significant changes, disruption is a major threat. It is to deal with this disruption and the possible digital
divide that could be created, that the Government of Kerala set up the project in 2002 in Malappuram
district with the aim of making at least one member of each family e-literate. 1 Today it provides an array
of government services, skill development and employment opportunities, leading a technological
revolution that emphasizes on equity and inclusivity.

The project was flagged off with the creation of micro-entrepreneurs in each village panchayat to run
Akshaya centres and provide services to the masses. The first phase of the program focused on e-literacy
training for the population, which familiarized people with the basics of Information Technology and
provided hands-on-skill in operating computers and using the Internet. The second phase focused on
provision of a wide array of services like e-governance, e-commerce, e-learning, communications and
community based services.

Today, Akshaya centres provide a variety of B2C and G2C services including online bill payments,
Internet services, rural e-banking, application of Ration cards, registration of Below Poverty Line(BPL)
families in Health Insurance schemes, Kiosk banking, filing of tax returns for Commercial Tax
department, services of the Motor Vehicle Department and skill development courses like Intel Learn
program, IGNOU( Indira Gandhi National Open University) courses and other computer courses. 2

More than half of these centres are located in rural areas, thereby democratizing ICT and encouraging
social inclusion of marginalized and underprivileged sections. The project has also opened up a window
of opportunities for women as entrepreneurs and trainers with a lot of women becoming Akshaya
centre entrepreneurs, successfully managing several centres across the state.

Akshaya centres are an excellent example of how public sector initiatives can bridge the digital divide
through people centric projects, acquaint the population with skills required to deal with the disruption
that may be caused by technological advancement, and empower the masses through ICT. It is a path
breaking effort to ensure democratization and inclusion of the digital space so that every individual gets
her rightful share of the digital economy.

References

1. Kerala state IT Mission (2014). Akshaya an Overview. pp.3-4.

2. Haneefa K, Mohamed & A.P., Sujima & K.G., Shyni. (2014). Use and Services of Akshaya
Community Information Centres in Kerala.