About Information Kerala Mission

Information Kerala Mission (IKM), the flagship e-governance project of the Government of kerala, is an attempt to strengthen local self-governance through ICT (Information Communication Technologies) applications. It envisages computerising and networking the 1215 local self government institutions in Kerala. It is the largest and most comprehensive local body computerisation project in the country. It addresses the entire gamut of issues concerning local body governance, decentralised planning, and local economic development.
IKM envisages a phased transformation of the existing systems to electronic systems. It has developed methodologies that suit this purpose. IKM has adopted a human-centred approach to e-governance. This approach is characterised by the holistic and proactive evaluation of existing systems and legacy systems, attempts to simplify and transform existing systems and effecting integration of systems. Systematic attempts at process reforms are also part of it. These would enable faster and objective decision-making, more citizen-friendly interfaces and better accountability.
IKM Methodology places the employees and functionaries at the central stage of this transformation and focuses on their empowerment and capacity building as the mechanism for improving performance. The software applications are developed through active user participation. Emphasis is placed on demystification of technologies and establishing adequate technical support systems. Training and hand holding are given high priority. IKM has taken out extensive pilot deployment of its application suites. With twelve software application suites ready for roll out, IKM is gearing up towards state level implementation in a Build-Transfer-Maintain (BTM) mode.

INFORMATION KERALA MISSION PROJECT
(Brief Overview)

Information Kerala Mission (IKM) was formed in June 1999 to implement the Computerisation of the local self government institutions in the State.

Context

• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment for decentralisation of powers
• Pioneering and highly acclaimed decentralisation initiative in Kerala
• Substantial transfer of power and resources - financial and human - professional and technical - to local bodie
• Need for Administrative Reform and Business Process Re-engineering at local bodies
• Unsuccessful large - scale computerisation initiatives in Kerala
• Unique model of a holistic, human-centered Information Communication Technology deployment model at Kumarakom Grama Panchayat in Kottayam by Centre for Development of Imaging Technolody (C-DIT)
• Adoption of Kumarakom model for replication across the State
  
  Specific Objectives
• Networking 1215 local bodies to district and state level offices
• Developing and deploying software required for local body systems
• Formulation and conduct of training programmes for various user groups
• Providing technical support for programme and handholding the users
• Developing micro-level resource based developmental information systems
  
  Broad Focus
• Transform local bodies into effective institutions of self-governance by equipping them to take up the challenges of decentralisation and take the benefits of e-governance to the citizens
• Provide transparent, efficient and responsive mechanisms for governance and citizen service delivery at local bodies in a time bound manner
• Improve the revenue generation, resource identification and utilisation capabilities of local bodies
• Provide inputs to bring about substantial administrative reforms and modernisation of government through re-engineering of business process
• Develop synergies with local ICT institutions to involve them in strengthening such e-governance initiatives
• Provide a framework for diffusion of ICT among the masses
• Reverse the failed stories of e-governance initiatives in the State
  
  Strategies Adopted
• Human-centered participatory approach to software development
• Emphasis on demystification of ICT
• Use of local language in all its transactions
• Mobilising voluntary support mechanisms wherever possible
• Significant emphasis on learner-centered, activity - based training
• Mooting the concept of citizen's database for effective planning, administration and service delivery
• Promoting the concept outreach mechanisms like information kiosks and counter based operations
• Focussing on vertical and horizontal integration across products as well as other systems within the government by mooting standardisation
• Emphasis on development of best practices and benchmarks for book-keeping and handling computerised systems
• Pilot deployment of systems to pre-empt problem during roll-out
• Private Public Partnership (PPP) initiative to implement the programme in Build - Operate-Lease-Transfer (BOLT) mode for fixed time period
  
  Notable Factors
• It could quality as the single largest
  • computerisation programme for the local bodies in the country
  • deployment of software developed in an Indian language
  • ICT literacy programme in the country
• 
  
  The unprecedented scale
• 1249 locations set up and networked
• lakh mandays of training, 67000 trainees

Activity Profile
Systems

• Focus on Process re-engineering
• Seven major systems extensively studied and comprehensively documented
  • 1. Plan formulation, monitoring and implementation
  • 2. Citizen services like Civil Registration and Certificate issue, disbursement of pension, welfare scheme etc.
  • 3. Revenue
  • 4. Finance and Accounts
  • 5. Public works and Purchase
  • 6. Administration and Establishment
  • 7. Local body institutions covering Panchayat Committee, Standing Committees, Grama Sabhas, etc.
• Multi-pronged strategy adopted
  • Experienced users and experts involved in all stages
  • Extensive field studies
  • Intensive residential workshops
  • Methodology, technology and prototype demonstrations
  • Orientation sessions
• Document used as reference material in Government
  
  Software Development
• Emphasis on the broad focus and specific objectives of the programme
• Use Indian language interface
• Web-technology adopted for most of its products to maintain commonality of interface improve usability, and to provide scope for scalability
• Products in various stages of development .

Using the latest technologies as recommended by the Technical Committee. The technologies used are:

• Internet Explorer 5.0 or above
• Active Server Pages 2.0 (ASP)
• Visual Studio 6.0 and .Net
• Crystal Reports 7.0 or above
• SQL Server 2000
• Internet Information Server 5.0 (IIS)
• MS Exchange 2000 and Outlook 2000
• Windows 2000 and XP Professional and Server editions
• CDAC's ISM Office 3.04 for multilingual editions
• MS Office 2000 and XP Professional
• GIS applications use ESRI's ArcInfo 8.1, ArcView 3.1, and MapObjects
• Data and Multimedia products use Adobe Acrobat 4.0, Macromedia Director 8.0, Macromedia Flash 4.0

  Training

• Distinctive features include

  • Learner-centered, activity-based training to address very heterogeneours user-base in terms of age, qualification, experience, position, local body type, location
  • Emphasis on demystification of technology
  • Use of Local language - Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
• Targets staff and elected representatives as well as, technical personnel number 67,000 in 3 lakh mandays
• Develop synergies with local training institutions
• 12 major training materials as reference books, manuals, exercise books, CBT's, videos, brochures, bulletins, booklets and presentations in local language
• Conducted major awareness building programmes across the State covering administrators, planners, professionals, government staff, agriculture and industrial workers, managers, students, academics, women groups etc., apart from general public.
  
  Support and Handholding
• Professional set-up at the headquarters with two secure LANs, a WAN and an internet connectivity at the headquarters, managed round-the-clock
• A well-managed state-level training centre with connectivity for district training centres
• Maintaining a state-of-the art software development and GIS facility
• Professionals oriented for a human centered and professional hand-holding of the users
• Efficient management systems devised for managing field level personnel
• Commercial engineering and roll-out plan documentation carried out, with extensive database created for the purpose
  
  Implementation
• Site preparation at all 1215 local bodies initiated. Completed in 609, and rest in advanced stages
• Pilot implementation at five grama panchayats with hardware and software installation, training to personnel, entry of past records after a pre-processing phase and operationalising the systems. Citizens already benefiting through implementation of the service delivery packages
• Past data entry of Civil registration, Pension and unemployment records nearing completion in five Corporations.
• Purchase initiated at all the 53 Municipalities
  
  Personnel
• Core group of well qualified and experienced 52 staff - technical, professional and managerial at the headquarters
• Undergone internal and external training - technical and non technical
  
  Administrative Setup and Funding
• Under administrative control of local self government department, Government of Kerala
• Governed by implementation, Technical and Monitoring Committee consisting of prominent personalities to the field IT, planners and administrators
• Primarily funded by Planning Commission, Government of India
• Part-funding by State Government and the Local Bodies
• Capability building for Decentralisation, Kerala' (CAPDECK) programme, supported by the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC), for providing training and improving public services.