Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 16 : Andhra Pradesh's Information Technology department has instructed all district Collectors to ensure that citizens download certificates only through the Mana Mitra WhatsApp Governance platform instead of visiting government offices.
Addressing the District Collectors' Conference at the Secretariat, Katamneni Bhaskar Bhaskar, Secretary, IT and Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) stressed that Mana Mitra is a transformative tool, and collectors must play a key role in making citizens fully utilise it.
"People should not be called to government offices for certificates like caste, nativity, birth, or death certificates. These must be accessed digitally and securely through Mana Mitra," he said.
He directed collectors not to summon citizens to government offices for certificate issuance and to ensure that all certificates are provided through the WhatsApp Governance platform. He urged them to promote awareness among the public about using Mana Mitra, instruct village and ward secretariat staff to go door-to-door every Friday to educate households, and take full responsibility for making the initiative a complete success.
The Secretary explained that certificates issued through WhatsApp Governance are digitally safe, integrated with DigiLocker and backed by blockchain technology, making them impossible to misuse or tamper with.
Currently, 738 services are available through WhatsApp Governance, with more to be added soon. He said even officials benefit, as they can monitor real-time public satisfaction and track the implementation of welfare schemes across districts and mandals.
The IAS officer reminded Collectors that the responsibility of public awareness and successful adoption of digital governance rests with them.
Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) is an institutional framework formed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to bring in positive 'disruptive', eGovernance, technology and electronic communication. It aims to improve the delivery of services in an agile and responsive manner through data analytics, beneficiary feedback, project monitoring, and process re-engineering of welfare provisions ensuring effective citizen service delivery in all government schemes/programs.