Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: In a bid to enhance accessibility to public services, the Odisha government is launching a new initiative to provide Revenue Department services through WhatsApp. The move aims to streamline processes and reduce the need for citizens to visit Tahsil offices in person.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced that the WhatsApp-based service will be available 24/7. Through this platform, citizens will be able to submit grievances and applications related to land and revenue issues, which will be resolved within a specified timeframe.

The initiative is expected to curb corruption and make it easier for people to access government services without the usual hassle of office visits, Pujari explained. Furthermore, he emphasized that strict action would be taken against officials if complaints are not addressed on time or if any instances of corruption are discovered. Citizens will also have the option to lodge grievances directly with the Revenue Minister via WhatsApp.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is set to officially launch the WhatsApp service at a ceremony tomorrow.

Additionally, Pujari revealed that 55 Tahsil offices across the state would be transformed into registrar offices as part of the initiative. This comes on the heels of a previous collaboration between the Odisha government and Meta, which launched a unified WhatsApp chatbot last year for delivering a range of public services, such as applying for birth certificates, income certificates, driving licenses, and accessing benefits under various government schemes, including the National Family Benefit Scheme.