Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's official website - www.keralacm.gov.in has grabbed the prestigious Web Ratna Gold Medal Award for promoting e-governance initiatives, an official said Monday.

Press Secretary P.T.Chacko and Jogie George Jacob, personal assistant to the chief minister, received the award from union Minister for Communication and IT Kapil Sibal at a function in Delhi. This is for the first time the award is coming to Kerala.

Entries were invited in the categories of citizen centric services, public participation initiatives, outstanding content and innovative use of technology, the official added.

The award secretariat consisting of a three tier screening committee observed that the Kerala chief minister's website has succeeded in bringing better public participation in governance.

Soon after he assumed office for the second time in May last year, Chandy began a round-the-clock live webcast of chief minister's chamber and office on his official website.

Among the other services that are offered are a 24x7 online grievance redressal cell for the public, the secretariat file tracking facility and vision 2030 idea box.