'Bhu-Mitra' chatbot pushing transparent, accessible governance in Haryana: Official

Chandigarh, Oct 16 (PTI) The recently-launched WhatsApp-based chatbot 'Bhu-Mitra' is fundamentally changing how citizens interact with the government, making key services instantly accessible from any mobile phone, officials said on Thursday.

This is a crucial step toward simple, transparent and accessible governance, Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Sumita Misra, said in an official statement.

"This chatbot empowers people by bringing government services to their fingertips. With just a few taps on WhatsApp, anyone can now access information, lodge a complaint, or check application status” anytime, anywhere," she said.

The chatbot offers five primary services -- revenue, demarcation, complaint filing, knowing complaint status, and access to public information, the statement said.

"The system operates in both Hindi and English, ensuring user-friendliness for all citizens. The chatbot number is 9593300009," Misra said.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who launched the initiative recently, had emphasised that 'Bhu-Mitra' embodies Haryana's commitment to citizen-centric and corruption-free governance.

The system is designed to deliver services quickly and directly to the people, effectively eliminating the need for middlemen, the statement said.

Misra said a key feature of the chatbot is automated communication.

All updates and responses are shared directly with the citizens via WhatsApp and SMS, removing the need for repeated office visits or follow-up calls, she said.

This guarantees time-bound, paperless, and transparent service delivery, a testament to the state's vision for a 'Digital Haryana', she added.

Urging widespread adoption of the system, Misra said the true success of digital governance hinges on active public participation. PTI SUN SHS SHS ARI ARI