Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], April 10 : The Kerala Government on Thursday rolled out K-Smart (Kerala Solutions for Managing Administrative Reformation and Transformation) in panchayats after its successful implementation in corporations and municipalities.
While launching the initiative, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Governance becomes meaningful only when everyone experiences its benefits and that K-Smart is an effort to realise this vision.
"Governance becomes meaningful only when everyone gets to experience its benefits. There are some stubborn individuals who refuse to address genuine demands out of sheer obstinacy," Vijayan said.
"The government is making intense efforts to change that mindset. Not all employees in offices are negligent--many work with a sense of social responsibility. But there is a section more interested in their personal agendas and in implementing things the wrong way," he added.
The Chief Minister said that his government's aim was to implement a system that works uniformly across the state.
"The second phase of K-SMART is now being rolled out after its successful implementation in corporations and municipalities. People evaluate the government through the services provided by local self-governments. Times are changing, and the civil service, too, must evolve accordingly. That's the government's vision, and expanding K-SMART to all panchayats is a step in that direction," he said.
State Local Self Government Minister MB Rajesh said that the phrase 'running around offices wearing out your sandals' will soon be obsolete.
"Through K-SMART, services will be available within moments. This project represents a technological leap that directly impacts local bodies and the people of Kerala. Services will now be at the fingertips of citizens. Red tape in office files will be eliminated, and corruption can be curbed," Rajesh said.
"Files will be processed efficiently and quickly. K-SMART will help make office services accessible 24x7. It's a transformative system that will revolutionize and redefine local governance in Kerala," he added.