Telangana ushers in m-governance with launch of T App Folio

All public services in Telangana will now be delivered over mobile phone with the government on Wednesday launching T App Folio, the official digital application of the state.

The youngest state of India, which claims to be a pioneer in e-governance in the country, has brought on one platform all the apps of government departments.

With this, Telangana has become the second state in the country after Karnataka to launch anywhere, anytime, mobile service delivery gateway for all the departments.

Using their smart and feature phones, citizens can avail all the services currently offered through MeeSeva centres and the online portal. They can get birth, death, income and other certificates, make payments for utility services, pay property tax, Road Transport Authority (RTA) fee, pay Internet bill and recharge mobiles, apply for driving license and avail land-related services.

T Wallet, the app of RTA offering driving licence and vehicle registration documents in digital format, various security-related apps of the police department and the services offered under Public Distribution System (PDS) will be integrated with T App.

To begin with, the mobile platform offers 150 services and the Electronic Services Delivery (ESD) plans to take this number to 1,000 services in one year.

Available in English and Telugu, the T App Folio can be used by smartphone users through Android and iOS-based app. It will also be available over web (m.gov.telangana.gov.in) while for feature phone users the service will be available through USSD, SMS and call.

T Wallet, the state's official digital wallet, launched last year has been integrated with the T App Folio.

T App Folio will not only offer all most used services by the government departments but will also be open to private apps used by the people.

Launching the T App Folio, Minister for Information Technology K. T. Rama Rao said this would literally bring governance to the fingertips of the common man.

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, said the state was contemplating a legislation to make delivery of all services by digital means compulsory.

He claimed Telangana is the only state to have an official payment gateway with its app, something which the Karnataka app or even the government of India's app 'Umang' lack.

G.T. Venkateswar Rao, Director of Electronic Services Delivery, said that ESD currently offers 600 citizens services through MeeSeva centres and franchises across the state.

Launched in 2011 as ESeva, it handled 2.5 crore transactions till 2014. During the last three years, over 7.5 crore transactions were conducted.

--IANS

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