eWorld Award 2011

mBillionth South Asian Award 2011

The Mobile Governance Project of Kerala State IT Mission, department of Information Technology , Government of Kerala, christened “Em-power Kerala” which was in the news recently for bagging International award has won the mBillionth South Asian Award 2011 under the Mobile Governance Category. It was selected from over 200 nominations filed from 8 South Asian Countries. mBillionth Award is an award instituted by Digital Empowerment Foundation and Supported by Department of Information Technology, New Delhi, and National Internet Exchange of India. The mBillionth Award 2011 is instituted to honour excellence in mobile and telecom innovations, key innovative applications, services, innovations, etc., in arena of mobile technology and applications that have helped connect the rural masses and the wider communities with the external world across South Asia.

The awards carries a Medallion and a Citation and was presented during the 23 rd Annual Laureate Medal Ceremony at Andrew W Mellon Centre, Washington DC on June 20, 2011.

The award was instituted to recognize those organizations which create and use information technology to promote and advance the public welfare, benefit society and change the world for the better. Kerala State IT Mission has been awarded for the utilizing mobile technologies effectively in connecting the government with the rural masses and bridging the digital divide, by implementing this green and sustainable development initiative.

E-India 2010 Jury Choice Award for Kerala Commercial Taxes

The Kerala Commercial Taxes has won the E-India 2010 Award under the category “Government to Business – Initiative of the Year – Jury’s Choice” for the “E Tax Administrative Programme” from amongst a field of over 70 nominations from India and abroad. E India awards are organized by the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS) and the Department of Information Technology, Government of India to recognize excellence in IT initiatives. The Award was given away at a function held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre, Hyderabad on 6th August 2010.

The Department of Commercial Taxes is the major source of revenue to the Government of Kerala, accounting for 3/4th of its revenues. The Department caters to 1,60,000 traders (tax payers) through 431 offices across the state. Traditionally, tax collection had the image of being corrupt with cumbersome procedures. When the Department launched the move towards computerization the envisaged outcomes were shift from adversarial/ antagonistic approach towards tax payers and build a partnership based on trust, computerize all the critical activities of the department to improve efficiency, remove user interface with the tax officials unless otherwise required to eliminate corruption KVATIS is the application software developed and deployed by the department to facilitate tax administration which can be accessed through the gateway www.keralataxes.gov.in.

With this online system, E-Returns and E-Payment of taxes have been conveniently facilitated. The tax payers do not have to go to the Commercial Tax Offices to file their returns. E-Returns along with invoice details are filed by traders and are scrutinized online by the officials. Earlier dealers had to submit challans or cheques along with their returns in their respective offices. Now the web application of the department is integrated with those of the Banks (SBI & SBT) to enable payment online. For those who do not have access to Internet facilities, Akshaya Centres www.akshaya.kerala.gov.inhave been authorized to file returns and effect e-payments. Akshaya is a project of Kerala State IT Mission initially launched to bridge the digital divide. Now the Akshaya centres provide a host of services through them.

The E-India Award is a testimony to the concerted efforts, as a result of which Kerala has been able to achieve 100% coverage in e returns as well as e-payments.

Recognition of KSITM's M-Gov Initiatives at mBillionth Awards South Asia 2010

The Grand Jury of the mBillionth Awards South Asia 2010 held on 23rd July 2010 at New Delhi have recognised two M-Gov Initiatives of KSITM with Certificates of Recognition.

The project M-Governance (M-Governance) for "initiating a cost effective, efficient and round-the-clock government information system"

The project Dr.SMS (M-Health) for "launching a mobile-based project that delivers health-related information via SMS".

Earlier mobile-based projects of KSITM, Dr.SMS and Dam Information System to Farmers via SMS were short listed for Grand Jury to be held in Colombo during June 10-13, 2010. The projects had found place among 160 “Successful Quality Nominations” received from countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Maldives.

The MBillionth Award launched by the Digital Empowerment Foundation is a dedicated platform to explore the latent potential of mobile sector across South Asia. It is the first of its kind in the region to recognize and facilitate mobile innovations, applications and content services delivery.

Three Awards for Kerala in National E-Governance Awards 2009-10

Kerala has bagged three awards in the National Awards for E-Governance 2009-10 jointly constituted by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, Government of India and Department of Information Technology, Government of India.

The project 'Sulekha – Plan Formulation and Monitoring System for Decentralized Planning of Local Governments' of the Information Kerala Mission has won the 'Gold' Award in the category 'Excellence in Government Process Re-Engineering'.

'Higher Secondary Centralized Allotment Processing', Department of Education, Kerala State Information Technology Mission and NIC has been recognised with a 'Silver' Award in the category 'Special Sectoral Award- Focus sector - Education'

The project 'Sevena – Civil Registration System and Hospital Kiosks' of Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala has won the 'Bronze' Award in the category 'Outstanding performance in Citizen-Centric Service Delivery'.

e-Governance Awards 2008

KSITM bags the Second Prize for Best Website

The website of Kerala State IT Mission, www.itmission.kerala.gov.in has bagged the second prize in the first edition of Kerala State e-Governance Awards held on 8th December 2009 at Hotel Mascot in the capital city of Trivandrum. The Award was given in recognition of the website, “which is a single – yet multilayered and comprehensive web resource that reflects all aspects of Information Technology initiatives of Kerala”.

The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Kerala Shri.V.S.Achuthanandan gave away the award to the Director, KSITM, Dr.Rathan U.Kelkar IAS. Present on the occasion were the Chief Secretary Smt.Neela Gangadharan IAS, Principal Secretary-IT Dr.Ajay Kumar IAS.

The website of KSITM was one among the 33 nominations received. The jury comprised of eminent personalities including Shri.V.Ramachandran IAS, Former Chief Secretary and Shri.Anand Parthasarathy, renowned IT Journalist, author and speaker.

e-India 2009 National Award

KISSAN Kerala bagged e-India 2009 National Award for best ICT enabled Agriculture Initiative of the year.

Kissan Kerala, the leading citizen centric e-governance project of the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Kerala bagged National Award “e-India 2009” for the best "ICT enabled agricultural initiative of the year". The award was jointly constituted and organized by CSDMS, Department of Information Technology, Govt. of India and National E-Governance Plan.

KISSAN-Kerala, an integrated, multi-modal agricultural information system, has conceptualized, implemented and coordinated by Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management Kerala (IIITM-K) for the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Kerala.

CSI- Nihilent e-Governance Awards 2008- 2009

Kerala bagged four CSI-Nihilent awards in 2009, the details of which are given below

• Award of Excellence - Appreciation
  for Kannur District
• Best G2C Project –
  hsCAPNIC
• Best G2B Project -
  e-Krishi
• Best G2G Project –
  Sulekha Plan Monitoring System

The award was instituted jointly by the Computer Society of India and Nihilent. The Computer Society of India (CSI) is the largest association of information technology professionals in India and Nihilent is an ISO 9001:2000 and SEISM CMMI® Level 5 certified global business consulting and solutions integration company with presence in India, USA, UK and South Africa.

CSI- Nihilent e-Governance Awards 2007- 2008

Kerala bagged four CSI-Nihilent awards in 2008, the details of which are given below

• Best e-Governed project – Excellent Project --`Digital workflow using MESSAGE’
• Best e-Governed Department – Joint Winner – Motor Vehicles Department
• Best e-District in computerization – Winner – Palakkad, Kerala
• Best e-Governed State – Joint Runner-up --- Kerala

The award was instituted jointly by the Computer Society of India and Nihilent. The Computer Society of India (CSI) is the largest association of information technology professionals in India and Nihilent is an ISO 9001:2000 and SEISM CMMI® Level 5 certified global business consulting and solutions integration company with presence in India, USA, UK and South Africa.

Kerala was a joint winner - in the category of Progressive e-Governed State - of CSI-Nihilent award during the year 2006-2007 too.

FRIENDS won the e-Governance award 2006 instituted by the CTO Forum, which is an Indian Information Technology magazine published by Jasubhai Digital Media. A summit with the same name is also conducted by the group.

FRIENDS also won the award for the Best IT implementation of the Year 2004, instituted by the magazine, PC Quest.

Kerala also bagged Runner Up I award for the Most Progressive State Government in application of IT in State administration (e-Governanace), instituted by India Tech Foundation in 2005

IT@School bagged the Skoch Redhat The world is Open award, 2008 in the category of education. E-Krishi was a finalist in the e-Governance category during the same year. Skoch, is an IT industry analyst and strategy and management consultancy company with work in 11 countries.

Golden Nica 2005

Akshaya Project has been selected for the Golden Nica award of Prix Ars Electronica in the Digital Community category for the year 2005. Akshaya is among the six winners of Prix Ars Electronica Award this year instituted by the Austria-based Ars Electronica, a platform for digital arts and media. Akshaya received the honour, as the project is conceptualized by integrating multiple objectives of mass e-literacy, entrepreneurship development, ICT interventions and community upliftment in the state.

SILVER ICON AWARD for Innovative Operations
Akshaya project won Silver Icon award in Innovative Operations and Best Practices - New Entrants for Exemplary Implementation of e-Governance Initiatives for the Year 2004.