Gujarat Hits 56 Crore Aadhaar Authentications in Digital Governance Push

According to officials, Aadhaar authentication services are currently being used across 13 government departments for DBT schemes to improve transparency and efficiency in the transfer of benefits.

These measures form part of a broader push to strengthen e-governance and reduce leakages in public service delivery.

The state government said its digital initiatives are aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Digital India" vision and are being implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with guidance from Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia.

The government stated that the focus has been on delivering faster, transparent and corruption-free services to citizens, including those in remote areas.

Gujarat Informatics Ltd (GIL), the nodal agency for e-governance in the state, is providing Aadhaar authentication and e-KYC services to various departments.

Officials said the integration of these services into DBT schemes has strengthened administrative efficiency and ensured more direct delivery of benefits.

As part of its technology expansion, the state has also established an Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence at GIFT City in Gandhinagar to support startups and innovation.

The Gujarat AI Stack, an integrated platform, offers tools for services such as crop disease diagnosis, document conversion, grievance classification and guidance on government schemes.

These tools are made available as APIs for developers and government use.

To simplify access to services, the government has introduced a 'Single Sign-On' portal, allowing citizens to use one ID to access multiple schemes and services.

At present, 13 applications from different departments have been integrated into the system.

The implementation of the 'Bhashini' project has enabled translation of information into multiple Indian languages, with 52 government websites and applications integrated with the tool.

In addition, WhatsApp-based services have been rolled out to allow citizens to receive certificates directly on their mobile devices.

Connectivity infrastructure has also been expanded through the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN), which links around 6,000 government offices across 34 districts and 248 talukas via an intranet system.

The network has supported approximately 4,000 video conferences and more than 13 webcast events during the year, including those related to the state's grievance redressal platform, SWAGAT.

Officials added that the Secretariat Integrated Communication Network is being upgraded to an IP-based system to further strengthen communication capabilities within government offices.

On the cybersecurity front, the Gujarat Security Operations Centre is responsible for monitoring threats, auditing government websites and applications, and providing training to officials.

The Gujarat State Data Centre, which serves as the state's common IT infrastructure, currently hosts over 750 websites and applications.

The government said that sustained digital transformation efforts over the past decade have improved access to governance, technology and services across urban, rural and remote areas, with a continued focus on expanding digital access and participation.

- IANS