VIJAYAWADA: In a world-first initiative, the Andhra Pradesh government has launched WhatsApp governance, offering 161 citizens’ services directly to the public through the platform.
At the launch of ‘Mana Mitra’ at his residence in Undavalli on Thursday, HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh stated that with WhatsApp governance, accessing public services will be as simple as texting a friend or a family member.
As part of phase one, 161 citizens’ services are now available under Mana Mitra, which has been launched in collaboration with Meta.
Lokesh further explained that 360 more services will be added in the second phase. The services will cover six key categories: electricity bill payments, revenue services, municipal services, grievance redressal, and booking for temple darshan/seva and bus tickets.
Lokesh observed, “This first-of-its-kind chatbot symbolises our vision for a digitally inclusive Andhra Pradesh, where citizens can book bus tickets, plan temple visits, and obtain certificates — all on WhatsApp.”
‘In phase 2, we plan to add 360 more services to WhatsApp governance’
“This initiative, in partnership with Meta, makes accessing government services as simple as chatting with a friend or family member. People will no longer need to run from pillar to post to access certificates and other government services,” he said.
Explaining the scale of the project, he noted, “Connecting 36 departments to WhatsApp governance is a complex task. In phase one, we are making 161 civil services available on the platform. In phase two, we plan to add 360 more. WhatsApp governance will serve as a bridge between the government and the people, ensuring real-time delivery of certificates and services.”
Lokesh stressed that there would be no room for fake certificates in the system. “Every certificate provided will feature a special QR code for authenticity verification. We are also planning to integrate blockchain technology soon. In the second phase, we will incorporate AI bots and voice functionalities,” he added.
Acknowledging that there would be further refinements, the Minister assured that any shortcomings would be addressed. “We are collecting real-time data from all departments and codifying it. A data lake will be created to provide seamless services. Our team has worked tirelessly over the past three months, testing for the last 15 days. While we understand improvements are needed, we are committed to making this an ideal product within six months.”
Reflecting on his Yuva Galam Padayatra, where the idea for WhatsApp governance originated, Lokesh shared, “In today’s world, one can watch a movie, order food, or book a cab with a single click. I wondered, why can’t governance be as easy? People often asked why they had to repeatedly visit officials for caste or income certificates. Given that every household has at least one smartphone with WhatsApp, the State government partnered with Meta, and that’s how Mana Mitra came into being. Ours is a people’s government.”
Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President and Head at Meta India, expressed her commitment, saying, “We are excited to work with the AP government to continuously improve Mana Mitra.”
WhatsApp Director and India Head, Ravi Garg, added, “We are collaborating with several State governments across India, but nowhere else are all types of services provided on a single platform.”
Later, Lokesh, along with the Meta delegation, met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the State Secretariat.
MANA MITRA
World’s first WhatsApp governance initiative
161 civil services accessible
360 services to be added in phase-II
Access services by sending ‘Hi’ on 9552300009
Services in key categories
Electricity bill payments
Revenue
Municipal
Grievance Redressal
Temple darshan/seva booking
Bus ticket booking