Representative picture | Photo Credit: Hind
Akshaya Entrepreneurs in the Ernakulam district, associated with Akshaya Welfare Association, unofficially suspended K-Smart services to protest what they claim to be a abysmal fee for low service, which is the state government without any consultation.
On Friday (August 8, 2025), the association was besieged by the District Project Office and presented the representation together with their charter rates to the district project manager, who assured them to be handed over to the state project office. The government on Wednesday (August 6, 2025) issued fees for repair services on the basis of K-SMART services.
“If the government does not decide to rework rates, we will go in advance and start charging services according to our Charter from Saturday (August 9, 2025).
Meanwhile, the Minister of Local MB Rajesh explained that the K-Smart, a digital platform developed by the KERAL information mission for the local government department, has been designed to be user-friendly, allowing anyone who has basic computer skills to access it. However, people continue to rely on Akshaya centers. In the center, complaints are changing to service fees, some of which are allegedly gathering exaggerated fees. The K-Smart Services have been determined in this context, Rajesh said.
Since the start of the Akshaya project 23 years ago, the services for services have only been revised once – in 2018. Since then, Akshaya entrepreneurs have been in their arms, referring to a negligible revision that they do not reflect rising operating costs or severe competition of private civil service centers.
“The sad part is that even revised fees for services for K-Smart services were unilaterally determined and maintained,” said Mr. Sreeraj. He quoted an example of a fee for changing building ownership – a process that includes scanning and recording the title of the Charter, the hold of the holding, the letter of consent from the previous owner, the death certificate (if it is relevant), two pages of the Harith Karma Sena register and in English and Malayalam. “This labor process takes up to 30 minutes, but the service fee is only 50 GBP,” he said.
A similar situation exists with a fee for registration of marriage, Mr. Sreeraj said. The process involves entering a one -time motto received by the bride, groom and two witnesses, recording of Aadhaar cards, and SSLC pair books, feeding in their personal data in English and Malayalam, recording of a married newspaper and completing a video of a newly launched couple. “The process takes up to 45 minutes, but the service fee is only 70 GBP for the general category and 50 ₹ for the planned category – while the government fee for marriage registration itself is 120 ₹,” he stressed.
Published – 8 August 2025 22:02 is
