Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday declared Kerala as the first state in the country to go fully digital in its banking service and said this recognition would boost the state economy.
In an event held here, Vijayan said this achievement was possible due to social interventions through local self-government institutions along with infrastructure development and technological advances in the banking sector.
"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.
"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 also said the ambitious Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project of the state government, which was almost 90 per cent completed, will reduce the digital divide.
"The K-FON will ensure internet facility to everyone in the state and 17,155 km-long optic fibre cable network has been laid. Once the project gets completed, internet will be available to everyone in the state either for a cheaper price or for free-of-cost," Vijayan said.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also pointed out that Kerala received three 'Digital India' awards today for the advancement in the digital sector.
"We received silver medal for Ksheerashree portal, platinum award for Digital Workforce Management System and gold medal for District Administration of Kottayam," Vijayan said.
He also warned the people to remain vigilant about the rise in cyber crimes that may increase in the banking sector with its advancement.
"The government has created an Economic Offences Wing in the state police to tackle such cyber crimes," he added.
State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) convenor S Premkumar, RBI Regional Director Thomas Mathew, NABARD Chief General Manager Gopakumaran Nair G, among others also attended the event.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app