Akshaya Kendra entrepreneurs will stage a protest in front of the district collectorate at Kakkanad on March 10 demanding, among other things, action against parallel services offered by Jana Seva Kendras as well as Common Service Centres. Akshaya Kendras in Ernakulam district will remain closed on the day.
There has been a mushrooming of centres providing parallel services, said Saju K.N., convenor of the forum leading the protest.
Akshaya Kendra entrepreneurs have demanded that the government make a re-assessment of service rates fixed more than 10 years ago in keeping with the current rate of inflation. The centres should also be paid on a monthly basis for Aadhaar enrolment as well as other services, Mr. Saju told the media here on Wednesday.
Akshaya Kendra entrepreneurs’ combine is also of the view that government agencies should take them into confidence when compensation for new projects is fixed. If the projects bring a loss to the centres, Akshaya Kendras should not be forced to take them up, Mr. Saju said.
The protesting Akshaya Kendra entrepreneurs also said that they had not yet been paid for data entry on non-communicable diseases done at health centres during the initial months of the pandemic.
According to them, the 23 centres that suffered losses during the 2018 floods had not been compensated, and there should be a unified centre for supervision and control of Akshaya Kendras instead of each government department holding sway over the centres. The entrepreneurs are also of the view that a welfare fund should be established for them, and that unique login facilities should be given to them for each project.
Akshaya Kendras came into existence in November 2002 to help people cope with the need for getting acquainted with Information Technology tools. The kendras are engaged in executing projects for government departments as well as universities.
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