Government Departments Look at Startups for Solutions

KOZHIKODE:
Opening up a wide array of opportunities before the startups, Kerala Government has offered to collaborate with them for a range of e-services of various departments, a concept which received instant pat from the Google India chief present at the event.
The proposal was made on the ‘Demand Day’, the first such initiative in the country, held as part of the ongoing conclave of the Kerala Strtup Mission at UL Cyber Park,here. Lauding the concept, Rajan Anandan, Vice President, Google India, tweeted that he was amazed to see Kerala’s focus on “Building for India”.
Nine government departments- Excise, Fire and Rescue, Forest, Housing Board, KTDC, KSITM, Labour, MVD and Social Justice—came up with their demands before the startup community. Taking up the challenge, 40 startup ventures came forward to crack the challenge posed by these departments.
Under the initiative, authorized government departments and agencies can now directly place work orders with startups under KSUM for developing applications at a cost not exceeding Rs five lakh. The startups that are keen to seize the opportunity should be certified by the KSUM and the departments cannot buy more than two apps from the same venture, the cost of each order not exceeding Rs five lakh.
The apps should have multi- lingual support and should work smoothly in an entry level smart phone with 3G connectivity besides ensuring safe and secure mechanism for the data in the app. Out of the nine departments, Excise came up with the highest number of demands, including an app where the citizens can register complaints and their monitoring and resolution by the officials. It also wants emergency messaging and GPS facilities to be included in the same app.
The second app should help the consumers to ensure the quality of the product and the third app should help them to spot the nearest IMFL outlet, decide the brand and the quantity required, pay the amount and the get e-receipt for the purchase. By showing the receipt at the outlet, they can take their product home.
Fire and Rescue department raised the need for an emergency App for 101 services such as spotting the user on GIS to rush the team to the site of the incident and track the rescue team by guiding the location. It also should give tips to citizens on prevention of incidents and management including reporting, recording and responding to emergencies like fire, earthquake, flood, typhoon, storm , road accidents, on sea mishaps and homicide, as a single- point contact for all emergency services.
The need of the Forest and wildlife department is an integrated mobile app for ticketing and booking facility for ecotourism sites and trekking locations, which also should have Information facility. Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is looking for a mobile app which can provide hotel information, hotel amenities, way to hotel, promotions and offers, online booking engine and Gallery.
Motor Vehicle department needs a ‘ Third Eye’ – Traffic enforcement app which can register offence and send alerts, ability to capture photos, videos and upload. Social Justice Department wants an app that can store and search details of welfare schemes under it, with e-filing facility for applicants.
Kerala Startup Mission CEO Dr Saji Gopinath pointed out that ‘ the Demand Day’ will be a complimentary platform for bot the government departments and and startups.