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New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Soon, use WhatsApp to access 50 Tamil Nadu government services
CHENNAI: About 50 Tamil Nadu government services, including applying for ration cards, nativity and income certificates, payment of taxes, trade licences and booking of tickets in government buses, can soon be done through WhatsApp from anywhere. An AI-powered bi-lingual chatbot (English and Tamil) will ensure that the user is able to get what they are looking for without being rerouted to any external interface through links or other applications, officials said. The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) is working to roll out the WhatsApp-based e-governance solution in next three months, sources said. Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiaga Rajan had made the announcement regarding the service in the Assembly in April. 'Chatbot uses Generative AI to interpret citizens' request' 'Any form that needs to be filled or document to be uploaded when applying for a service can be done on WhatsApp itself. In case they are applying for documents such as nativity or income certificates, they will be able to download them as PDF files. Payments (the minimal fee charged for different types of services) can also be made through WhatsApp's native payment feature. We are also providing other digital payment options,' said Dr Alby John Vargheese, Chief Executive Officer, Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency. The chatbot will support Tamil and English interactions and through the 'Flow' feature of WhatsApp Business Platform dynamically guide users through services. It plans on tapping into Generative AI to interpret citizens' requests and direct them to the appropriate service.
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Webinar held on registering old age homes, women's homes, and hostels on e-Sevai portal
The Department of Social Welfare and SimpleGov organised a webinar on how to apply for services that are available on the e-Sevai portal. The webinar focused on three services – registration of old age homes, registration and licence for homes for women; and licence for working women's hostels. Many NGOs, especially those in the hostel industry, took part in the webinar. Last month, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched SimpleGov, which has simplified the process of availing various services and schemes offered by the government. P.W.C. Davidar, Advisor (Digital and Simplified Governance) to Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TneGA), explained how easy it was to obtain licences now. 'For those who don't have access to the internet, they can visit the nearest e-Sevai centre. We have done away with the practice of asking for unnecessary documents. One can now download the licences online,' he said. 'All necessary documents can be uploaded by the applicants themselves. Once the payment is done, they can check the status and download the certificates,' Mr. Davidar said. The validity of some of the licences have been extended. For instance, the licence for Homes for Women is now valid for 10 years. In the case of old age homes, if there are fewer than 20 people operating under a cooperative model and supporting each other, registration is not required. However, if they operate as a trust, registration is mandatory. Obtaining sanitation and fire certificates has also been simplified. In the case of a public building licence, any empanelled engineer can provide a structural soundness certificate. For hostels obtaining new licences, renewal and closure can be done online. In case the application has been returned, its status can be checked online. All information related to these services is available on where registration can also be done. Homes for women are run by NGOs to provide shelter, food, clothing, counselling, training, medical support and legal aid to women in difficult circumstances. The registration of such homes is mandatory to ensure proper regulation, monitoring, and adherence to standards for the safety and well-being of the residents. Registration of old age homes is mandatory to ensure proper regulation, monitoring, and compliance with standards for the welfare of elderly residents. It prevents exploitation, ensures quality care, and allows homes to avail government benefits or subsidies. Registration also promotes accountability and transparency.
