In a significant move to enhance citizen services and governance, Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh launched the ‘Mana Mitra’ WhatsApp Governance initiative. The service aims to simplify access to government services by enabling citizens to access documents and other services through WhatsApp, eliminating the need for visits to government offices. The official WhatsApp number for the service is 9552300009.
During the launch event, held in Undavalli, Minister Lokesh explained that the initiative was born out of his experiences during the ‘Yuva Ghalam’ padyatra, where he encountered firsthand the challenges people face while obtaining essential government documents. He noted that ‘Mana Mitra’ will empower citizens by ensuring fast and efficient access to government services directly through WhatsApp.
The service, which is being launched in Andhra Pradesh for the first time in the country, will initially provide 161 citizen services in its first phase. In the second phase, the initiative will expand to include 360 services. Minister Lokesh stated that the government intends to expand the services by integrating blockchain technology and AI-driven solutions for greater efficiency.
The ‘Mana Mitra’ platform will issue digital certificates with unique QR codes, ensuring the authenticity of documents and preventing the circulation of counterfeit certificates. Minister Lokesh highlighted that the system aims to overcome the challenges faced by citizens, including the repeated need for caste certificates, income certificates, and issues related to utility payments and public transport ticketing.
Meta India’s Vice President, Sandhya Devanathan, expressed her enthusiasm for the launch, emphasizing WhatsApp’s role in simplifying daily life and the service’s potential to offer hassle-free access to essential government services. She assured continued collaboration between Meta and the Andhra Pradesh government to improve the ‘Mana Mitra’ platform.
WhatsApp India Head Ravi Garg also praised the initiative, noting that it is the first of its kind in the country to provide such a wide range of services on a single platform. He stated that the platform would continue to evolve to provide even more services to the public.
The event was attended by senior officials, including Bhaskar Katamneni, Secretary of the IT, Electronics and Communications Department, and K. Dinesh, CEO of RTGS.
