Andhra Pradesh Launches ‘Mana Mitra’—A’ First in India’s Governance System
AMARAVATI, ANDHRA PRADESH- In a historic maneuver, the AP Government has introduced ‘Mana Mitra’—a’ service allowing citizens access to 161 civil services through their smartphones. This is literally the first of its kind in the country where services are operated through a WhatsApp number. The project stems from an AI collaboration between Meta and the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP), further improving the digital infrastructure of India.
A Journey Towards Effective E-Governance
This project is parallel to the 1995 initiative under then Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to set up eGovernance. So, as of now in 2025, the world is one more step ahead with WhatsApp Governance, which allows for the closing of the gap between the government and the population of Andhra Pradesh. Once again, Andhra Pradesh is setting an example, this time adopting WhatsApp governance.
While inaugurating the service, Andhra Pradesh’s IT and Education Minister, Nara Lokesh, who championed this project, mentioned that governance ought to be friendly and reachable. As he addressed the audience at the function’s launch, Lokesh declared, “The people own governance now.”
Official Launch Event
The launch of the service was conducted by Nara Lokesh, minister for IT, Electronics, Communication, and Real Time Governance (RTG), from his residence located at Undavalli, Amaravati, on Thursday. The government’s meta-aides and other key officials were also present at the launch event.
Soon after the launch, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu congratulated Nayra Lokesh in the social media post for successfully converting a dream goal from the Yuvagalam Padayatra into a revolutionary step towards making governance world-class and citizen-friendly.
దేశంలో తొలిసారిగా మన మిత్ర పేరుతో వాట్సప్ గవర్నెన్స్ ను ఉండవల్లిలోని నివాసంలో లాంఛనంగా ప్రారంభించాను. ఇందుకోసం అధికారిక వాట్సప్ నెంబర్ 9552300009ను కేటాయించడం జరిగింది. ‘మన మిత్ర’ ప్రజల చేతిలోనే ప్రభుత్వం, ప్రజల చేతిలో పాలన, మాది ప్రజాప్రభుత్వం నినాదంతో ప్రారంభించాం. పాదయాత్ర… pic.twitter.com/e8f8wdr9yX
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) January 30, 2025
How ‘Mana Mitra’ Works
Andhra Pradesh residents can now request 161 civil services using the WhatsApp number 📱9552300009. The platform aims to:
- Optimize public services through WhatsApp.
- Effectively gather citizen’s requests and suggestions.
- Deliver real-time government documents validated with QR codes to prevent impersonation.
- Establish a bridge of communication between citizens and the 36 departments of the government.
In Phase 2 this service will increase to 360 civil services with the added features of blockchain technology, AI bots, and voice services for citizen engagement.
From Yuvagalam’s Padayatra to WhatsApp Governance
This innovative governance model, Nara Lokesh explained, is a product of the insights gained during his 3,132-kilometer Yuvagalam padayatra. He noted, “The government need not work harder, but smarter. In the world today, we can press a button and order food, get a cab, or watch a movie of our choice. Why can’t the government come to people the same way? That is the purpose of launching WhatsApp Governance.”
“In October 2024, we,’ GoAP, partnered with Meta,” he explored further, “signing an MoU at New Delhi to implement WhatsApp governance. In under three months and nine days, ‘Mana Mitra’ has been launched, becoming the first state in the country to introduce WhatsApp governance at this scale.”
The Future of Digital Governance
Meta India head Sandhya Devanathan and WhatsApp India director Ravi Garg attended the launch, underscoring Meta’s commitment to supporting digital governance. Lokesh also announced that:
- Blockchain technology will be integrated in the next phase.
- AI-powered chatbots and voice services will enhance the efficiency of the platform.
- A real-time data lake will be created to centralize information from all departments for effective decision-making.
Conclusion
To sum up the case of ‘Mana Mitra’, it is evident that there has been a paradigm shift in governance when government services are availed on WhatsApp. This project is an example of digital democracy and places Andhra Pradesh on the lead in the technology race in the Indian government space.
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