Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala cabinet on Friday approved the state's Information Technology Policy 2026, setting ambitious targets to boost jobs, exports and digital governance as part of its push to become a major technology and innovation hub.
The new policy aims to secure at least a 10 per cent share of India's IT exports and create a minimum of five lakh new jobs in IT and allied sectors, an official release said after Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan-chaired cabinet approved the policy.
According to it, the government plans to triple IT infrastructure space across the state through private participation and decentralised growth, while increasing the number of startups to 20,000.
A key focus of the policy is building a knowledge-based economy driven by intellectual property and advanced technologies.
Kerala is targeting a 5 to 10 per cent share of the Indian economy in high-tech areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, electronics, genomics, defence and space technologies.
To support this, centres of excellence will be set up in emerging technology domains, along with large-scale skill development programmes, the release said.
The policy also places strong emphasis on digital inclusion and connectivity.
The government has pledged to ensure 100 per cent internet access to all households through fibre-optic connectivity.
Digital education will be strengthened by introducing new ICT textbooks for Classes 1 to 10, aligned with next-generation technologies, while around 25 lakh students are to receive specialised training over the next five years.
In governance, the policy proposes a major shift towards data-driven administration.
More e-governance applications will move to cloud-based platforms, and a single user interface will be developed to provide easy access to all citizen-centric government services.
Predictive and prescriptive governance services are also planned, along with a responsible data usage framework and stronger data privacy protections.
To avoid duplication, the government intends to end the practice of departments separately collecting and maintaining public data.
Instead, information will be stored in a single system and shared with authorised departments through regulated APIs. State-controlled data repositories will be created to support data-driven solution companies, and open-source technologies will be encouraged, especially for software developed using public funds, the release said.
The policy outlines several steps to attract investment, including incentives for data centres, simplified labour laws, land pooling for new IT parks, and the expansion of plug-and-play workspaces to new urban locations.
Global Capability Centres are expected to be encouraged, while startups will benefit from co-working spaces, angel networks and micro venture capital translation centres.
To ensure resilience, a Critical Infrastructure Fund will be set up to support the smooth functioning of IT parks during natural disasters or public health emergencies.
Inclusivity has also been highlighted, with measures to promote participation of women, persons with disabilities and transgender persons in the IT and high-tech workforce, the release said.
As part of the long-term vision, the government will launch special technology missions, including the Kerala Electronics and Semiconductor Mission, Kerala AI Mission and Kerala Future Tech Mission, aimed at building world-class capabilities in critical sectors.
A Digital Transformation Mission will also be formed to provide shared digital tools, analytics platforms, subsidised cloud space and GPU access to businesses, the release said.
The government said the policy was prepared after detailed consultations, including the formation of a committee and seeking public feedback on the draft, and is designed to rapidly transform Kerala into a future-ready digital economy and a leading innovation hub.
