According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala is the very first state in the nation to go totally digital in its financial services, and this recognition would help the state’s economy. According to Vijayan, this accomplishment was made possible through intervention programs via local self-government organisations and infrastructural development and technology improvements in the banking industry.
“I would like to congratulate everyone who worked behind this and declare Kerala as the first fully digital banking state in the country,” Vijayan said as per Economic Times. Kerala was also the inaugural and the only state in the nation to establish its internet service in July 2022. “In order to make the digital services universally accessible, we need to ensure that the digital divide is completely eliminated,” he added.
The Chief Minister further stated that the state government’s massive Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) program, which is nearly 90% operational, will help to bridge the digital gap. “The K-FON will ensure internet facility to everyone in the state and a 17,155 km-long optic fibre cable network has been laid. Once the K-FON project gets completed, the internet will be available to everyone in the state either for a cheaper price or for free of cost,” Vijayan said.
Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) initiative
This is a collaborative effort between Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL), and the state, with each company owning 49% and the state owning the residual 2%.
The project is being carried out by a group led by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), which will be tasked with managing and upkeep the 35,000-kilometer-long infrastructure for the following seven years. Financed by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), it is expected to cost roughly more than Rs 1,000 crore, including capital expenditure, administrative overheads, and an annual operational expense of Rs 104.4 crore.
The K-FON will provide internet access to all state residents, and a 17,155-kilometer-long optical fibre cable infrastructure has been installed. Once the project is done, the internet will be accessible to all state residents at a lower rate or for free.
Right to the Internet
Kerala’s declaration of “the right to the Internet” as a fundamental freedom for its residents makes Kerala the only Indian state to make this declaration. Only when rights may be utilised do they become significant. The Kerala Fibre Optic Network project is an endeavour to guarantee that Internet-based services are available to all Keralites as a privilege. It is our goal to close the digital gap.
