CM highlights govt’s initiatives in online public services

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday (February 19, 2026) said online public services in Kerala had moved beyond announcements to become a lived reality, citing that over 10 lakh applications filed through the K-SMART platform were processed within an hour and more than two lakh building permits were issued within a minute.

Inaugurating the valedictory ceremony of Local Self-Government Day at the Mangattuparamba KAP Battalion ground, he said local bodies played a crucial role in Kerala. The State, he added, had consistently strengthened decentralisation and empowered local institutions.

Kerala has significantly enhanced financial support to local bodies, allocating over ₹70,000 crore since 2021. In the past five years alone, ₹8,867 crore has been provided for road works and ₹1,187 crore for anganwadi buildings. Under the Chief Minister’s local road construction project, 4,912 works have been completed in the first phase at a cost of ₹980 crore, while projects worth ₹939 crore are under way in the second phase.

The Chief Minister said nearly five lakh homes envisaged under the Life Mission were nearing completion. Kerala, he said, remained the best-performing State in implementing the rural employment guarantee scheme. On waste management, he said 1,027 local bodies had been declared solid waste-free.

He released the Local Self-Government department’s progress report and the logos for the second phase of the Extreme Poverty Eradication and Digi Kerala projects. Local Self-Government Minister M.B. Rajesh presided over the function and distributed awards, including the Swaraj Trophy and the Mahatma Awards.