The Gujarat government and Meta Platforms Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Gandhinagar on Monday, enabling citizens to access 20 public services through a WhatsApp chatbot in both Gujarati and English. The initiative aims to streamline service delivery and enhance digital governance.
Services Available via WhatsApp Chatbot
According to an official statement, services such as grievance redressal, income, caste, and EWS certificates, ration card updates, revenue records, and official affidavits can be availed through a single WhatsApp number. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the MoU-signing ceremony in the state capital.
Digital Governance Recommendations
The Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission (GARC) has repeatedly recommended increased adoption of digital governance in citizen-centric services across various departments. The MoU between Meta and the state government is expected to make these services more accessible and faster, ensuring last-mile delivery.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stated on his X handle, “The government is committed to progressively integrating more public services with this WhatsApp-based platform in the coming days, ensuring that citizens no longer need to navigate multiple portals or stand in long queues for essential services.”
Urban and Rural Reach
The government noted that in urban areas, services are already reaching citizens through public service centres, while VCE-based systems are operational in rural areas. “Now, with the MoU signed with Meta Platforms Inc., Gujarat is entering the next phase of citizen-centric governance,” the statement added.
Future Expansion
An official statement indicated that in future, the entire process of filing applications to obtaining certificates will be made easier and faster for different services. Citizen services offered by other departments will also be gradually integrated into the WhatsApp chatbot platform.
