Kerala Governor policy address: Boosting urban governance, expansion of K-Smart get thrust

Kerala Governor outlines plans for urban governance, digital services, and local self-government in policy address for upcoming year.

From revamping of urban governance to expansion of the K-Smart application for digital delivery of services to panchayats, the policy address by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in the Kerala Assembly on Friday (January 17, 2025) chalked out a slew of plans for the Local Self-Government department in the upcoming year.

The government has prioritised aligning the developmental goals of local bodies with the broader objectives of the Nava Kerala Mission through Nammude Keralam, a multi-sector development programme.

One of the major initiatives this year will be the government’s plans to enhance professionalism in urban governance and improve service delivery as per the recommendations of the Urban Policy Commission in its interim report. Under this, metropolitan planning committees will be established in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode with an aim to transform these cities into engines of economic growth. The urban local bodies will also undergo credit rating exercises to ensure fiscal health and attract investments for large-scale infrastructure projects.

K-Smart, the State government’s project to make available services of local self-government bodies digitally over a uniform platform, will be expanded to the three-tier panchayats from April onwards.

For effective waste management, the government plans to establish sludge and sewage treatment plants in designated clusters to address liquid waste management comprehensively.

The State Town and Country Planning Committee, constituted in 2024, has laid the groundwork for a comprehensive 20-year Spatial Perspective Plan. This framework will address urban and rural growth, resource management and climate resilience.