KSEB installs own free software-"Oruma"

Chief Minister inaugurated the free software programme of Kerala State Electricity Board “Oruma” at Co-Bank Towers, Thiruvananthapuram on 10th March. It came as the culmination of the vision to liberate Government organizations like K.S.E.B from the clutches of Digital Rights Management (DRM) - enabled products. This is also a turning point at application level in the information technology sector in the State.  An attempt at computerization of K.S.E.B made by the U.D.F. Government using Microsoft had ended in total confusion. The audit of KSEB accounts revealed that the Board incurred a loss of Rs. 70 crores due to the confusion and anomalies in the bills.

The LDF Government has had a change of perception and scrapped the Microsoft programme and decided that the Board might very well use a programme to be developed by its own personnel using free software. In the first stage a Data Entry Software was developed by Board employees in three months and used it in Sreevaraham electrical section in April 2007. Subsequently this Data Entry programme under Free Software is being extended to all sections use of Data Entry programme is needed for further computerization. 15 officers of KSEB were given training in free software. The programme developed by this group of officer was first experimented successfully in the Kanyakulangara electrical section in August 2006. Finding the programme a success, the Board adopted it in a few more electrical sections. Now arrangements are being made to install ‘Oruma’ programme in 250 electrical sections in the State. By September all electrical sections in the State will function with Oruma Software Programme.

The Board will have an initial saving of Rs. 4 crores by switching over to the new programme. The recurring expenses of several cores can be saved besides. However, the greatest achievement will be that KSEB will not be forced to stand at the behest of Microsoft. The ‘Oruma’ Software will increase efficiency in the functioning of the State Electricity Board. This programme will help to prepare bills, register service connections, keep accounts and maintain all relevant data about consumers, etc. The programme also has space for developing facilities for payment of electricity charges through internet, registering complaints, etc in the near future. In short what K.S.E.B has achieved through Oruma programme is a silent revolution in the administration of KSEB.