The Hindu Business Line : Good response to Akshaya scheme

THE State Government's programme for rollout of its `Akshaya' scheme to more districts, after its success in Malappuram district, has received good response.

The Government has received 8,282 applications for starting e-centres at 1,116 places in six districts other than Kannur, which have been identified for implementing the scheme, according to officials.

The Malappuram experience had prompted the Government to extend the scheme to seven more districts, namely, Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Kollam. The Kerala State IT Mssion is entrusted with the task of identifying the locations.

The officials said that 78 per cent of the applicants are rural entrepreneurs. Besides, 61 per cent are graduates with 14 per cent of them having higher qualifications, including professional background. More than one-third of the applicants are women.

The Government has decided that the number of Akshaya centres in each grama panchayat may be limited to two, in municipalities to six and in corporations to eight to ten, in order to ensure the viability of the centres.

The IT Mission had proposed that sub-centres to main Akshaya centres could be established under the approval of the local bodies. Also, the existing computer centres/schools can be used as sub-centres with the consent of the owners. Local bodies may give the necessary support to the entrepreneurs in case they are willing to provide systems in schools or in centres owned by local self-government institutions.

If found necessary, the Akshaya centre owners can move systems to remote inaccessible locations, where people demand e-literacy.

The Government had approved 1,321 locations for starting the centres in the seven districts. The selection of the applicants will start in the six districts on June 27. The applicants will be shortlisted for interview through a computerised process.

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