Now, digi lockers to protect key documents from calamities in Wayanad

Loss of valid documents due to natural calamities may soon become a thing of the past for the families in the tribal hamlets of Wayanad district of Kerala as a project to store valid documents in digital lockers has been launched.

Impressed over the project, a couple of panchayats in neighbouring Kasargod and Kannur district are also implementing the project.

During the natural calamities in Kerala in recent years, hundreds of families had lost all valid documents like the Aadhaar card, voter identity card and education certificates. This even affected payment of government assistance owing to the lack of identity proof.

To address this issue, the Kerala State IT Mission (KSITM) — a state government agency — mooted a digital locker project.

Wayanad district in Kerala has the highest tribal population of over 1.5 lakh (as per the 2011 census). Hence the project was piloted in the district with the support of the ST development department. The aim is to store at least one valid document of each tribal family in a digital locker. It is being offered free of cost to the tribal families.

The project is being implemented through the Akshaya e-service centres of the state government and hence it has been named as Akshaya Big Campaign for Document Digitisation (ABCD).

KSITM district project officer Nived S told DH that the project was launched in Thondernad panchayat in Wayanad last month and documents of around 400 people were so far secured in digital lockers.

Campaigns to create awareness among the families in tribal hamlets about the project was also being initiated. Special counters have been set up at the Akshaya centres of the region for the scheme. Once the project is completed it would also make verifications for disbursing various benefits easier.

Kanhangad panchayat in Kasargod district and Aralam in Kannur had also shown interest in the project and hence steps were being taken in this regard.

After the 2018 floods and calamities that hit Kerala badly, there has been much demand for digital lockers as many families lots all valid documents. The government had even conducted camps for issuing duplicate documents.