Andhra creating central data system to digitise all state depts
The Andhra Pradesh government aims to digitize services, allowing citizens to access all important documents on their mobile phones via a centralized data system.
The Andhra Pradesh government is working towards creating a centralised data system through digital integration of all departments to extend various services to citizens in digital mode on their mobile phones, a senior official said on Friday.
State information technology and communications secretary Bhaskar Katamaneni said in a statement that the government would make available all the documents including certificates related to educational qualifications, caste, income, birth, and death certificates on the mobiles of the citizens.
“In the near future, citizens will no longer need to physically carry any documents related to them. Instead, all their documents will be digitally available on their mobile phones,” Katamaneni said.
He said the Real-Time Governance Society (RTGS) under the ministry of information technology, is establishing a large “data lake” to integrate data from all departments of the state government. “At present, there is no centralized data system within the government. Despite numerous departments having data, it is not yet integrated, which is creating technical barriers that hinder the efficient delivery of government services to citizens,” he said.
In the first step of extending various services to the citizens, the government recently launched WhatsApp Governance with the assistance of Meta. At present, 163 services are available via WhatsApp Governance, and in the future, all services and various certificates required by citizens will be accessible through WhatsApp.
In the next step, the government is contemplating a facility wherein the citizens can store certificates in Digi lockers, which will allow them to securely download and access their certificates as needed. They would also be able to make payments through WhatsApp to get the documents.
“However, to ensure these services are delivered effectively, faster data integration between departments is crucial. The government aims to provide citizens with three main services through WhatsApp -- obtaining certificates, accessing information, and requesting services from the government,” he said.
Katamneni urged every department to appoint a Chief Data Technical Officer (CDTO) within two days. The process of sharing data across departments through the RTGS data lake should be completed within a week, he suggested.