In a significant step towards digitizing citizen services and improving efficiency, the Government of Tamil Nadu represented by, Dr. Alby John Varghese, I.A.S., CEO, TNeGA and Mr. Ravi Garg, Director, Business Messaging, Meta in India, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the esteemed presence of Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Honourable Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services and Thiru. Brajendra Navnit, I.A.S., Principal Secretary to Government, to launch WhatsApp-based citizen services. Accessible via a single number, the first phase of the chatbot will enable people across the state to access 50 essential government services anytime, anywhere.
The chatbot will be available in Tamil and English, offering services through text for maximum accessibility. Citizens can use it to address grievances, make utility payments such as electricity and water bills, pay municipal taxes, and book metro tickets – all within a single chat window bringing government services directly to people’s fingertips and eliminating the need for multiple visits to service centres.
Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Honourable Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Tamil Nadu said, “The Government of Tamil Nadu has a clear vision to lead India’s digital transformation by making governance more people-centric, transparent, and inclusive. This partnership with Meta is a decisive step in that journey. By combining the state’s commitment to e-Governance with the simplicity and reach of WhatsApp, we are ensuring that technology works for every citizen of Tamil Nadu in the most simplified way redefining how people connect access citizen services”
Ravi Garg, Director, Business Messaging, Meta in India, said, “WhatsApp is a platform that is familiar to people across India, and its simplicity and ease of use make it the ideal platform to provide digital access to government services. We are excited to collaborate with the Government of Tamil Nadu in their endeavor to transform how citizens engage with government services, making them more convenient, efficient, and accessible to all.”