Thiruvananthapuram: The government of Kerala has launched an ambitious digital governance initiative aimed at providing all government-issued certificates and documents in digital format. The project, called DEED (Digitization of Every Essential Document), is being rolled out under the state’s Digi Kerala 2.0 mission and is being described as a first-of-its-kind effort in India.
The initiative is being implemented by the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) and has now entered its final phase. Under the program, every resident aged 18 and above will be provided access to a personalized digital locker linked to a unique identification number to manage official records.
Key Features of the DEED Project
- K-Smart ID: All citizens aged 18 and above will receive a unique K-Smart ID to access and manage their digital documents.
- Paperless Governance: The project aims to eliminate physical files, making verification of credentials faster and more reliable.
- Cybersecurity (Safe Tech): A parallel “Safe Tech” initiative will be implemented to ensure robust data protection and cybersecurity.
- AI Literacy: The government plans to promote artificial intelligence literacy so citizens can easily adapt to the new digital system.
Implementation and Training
The Kerala government plans to bring the entire population under the DEED framework within one year. For documents that are not automatically available on DigiLocker, citizens will be trained to scan and upload records to a secure digital drive.
Multiple government agencies will work in coordination to digitize records efficiently. Officials believe that moving to a centralized digital database will significantly reduce document fraud, online scams, and forgery.
Minister’s Statement
Local Self-Government Minister M. B. Rajesh said the DEED project is a natural extension of the department’s ongoing digitization efforts.
“The government’s goal is to completely transition from physical files to a comprehensive digital database,” he said, adding that no other Indian state has implemented a project of this scale and precision.
In addition to standard records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, the DEED project will also include land ownership documents. Officials say this move is expected to enhance transparency and put an end to long-standing cases of land record manipulation and fraud.