In its bid to make India a digital country, the Government of India has taken several initiatives. Key elements of this ‘Digital India’ campaign include universal access to mobile connectivity, public Internet access program and e-governance. And the government is leaving no stone unturned to make this a reality.
The Government of India is trying to make its services easily available to the masses via mobile applications and has launched many apps across all major smartphone platforms for the same.
Here is a detailed list of the 10 most important mobile apps launched by the government.
1. Bharat Interface for Money ( BHIM ) App
The app is a Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India. It has been named after Bhim Rao Ambedkar and is intended to facilitate e-payments directly through banks and as part of the 2016 Indian banknote demonetization and drive towards cashless transactions. Some key features of the app are as follows:
- Supports all banks that use the UPI
- Built over the immediate payment infrastructure
- Allows instant money transfer between two bank accounts
- Money can be transferred using mobile numbers (UPI Address)
- The app can function without the Internet
- Currently a maximum of Rs. 10,000 per transaction is allowed
- The app will soon be linked with the AADHAR card for identification and security purposes
2. MyGov App
This app is a citizen engagement platform founded by the Government of India to promote active participation of Indian citizens in country’s governance and development. It aims at crowdsourcing governance ideas from citizens. The users shall be allowed to discuss and to contribute to various government projects and plans. Some features of the app are as follows:
- users can log in and share their suggestions, feedbacks and ideas with central ministries
- users can also join discussions, take polls and form groups around topics of interest
3. IRCTC Connect App
The Indian Railways had recently launched an android app to make the ticket booking process easier for the people. Some features of the app are as follows:
- Users can search and book train tickets
- Users can view and cancel tickets
- The app retains recently added passenger details
- New Users can register from the App directly
- It also alerts you for upcoming journeys
Download the IRCTC Connect App here.
4. Ministry of External Affairs (MEAIndia) App
The MEAIndia app is a single window source of all information related to the ministry’s citizen-centric services and outreach activities. It provides information on services such as- e-citizen, passport services, visa services and Indian mission abroad. The app also simplifies the traveling abroad process for students and other NRIs. It helps people identify the agencies authorized to attest documents. Some features of the app are:
- Extremely user-friendly with impressive graphics
- Nearest Indian missions or posts for emergency consular assistance can be found out easily
- Users can find out about how to take Haj Pilgrimage or Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on the app
- Pictures and documentaries about or on India can be viewed as well as shared on the app
Download the MEAIndia App here.
5. M-EPF App
Using this app, users can activate their UAN accounts using their smartphones and can also access their accounts for viewing their monthly credits through the passbook as well view their details available with EPFO. Similarly, the EPF pensioners will be able to access their pension disbursement details through this app. Various employers can also view their remittance details using the app. Some features of the app are as follows:
- Users can activate their UAN accounts using SMSs
- Users can get their EPFO details by giving a missed call to 01122901406 from their registered Mobile number
- UAN registered members can get their KYC details by sending an SMS at 7738299899
6. M-Passport Seva App
The Ministry of External Affairs launched the mPassport Seva app to offer a wide variety of passport-related services to smartphone users. This app makes the entire process of getting a passport easier. Although people cannot currently apply for a new passport using the app, it provides detailed information regarding the steps involved and the documents required for issuing a new passport or renewing an existing one. Some features of the app are as follows:
- Users can search for nearby Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) or District Passport Cells (DPC) in a district
- This search can also be done using pin codes
- Users can search for police stations too
- The app has an inbuilt fee calculator that computes the fees to be paid along with the application
- The application status can be tracked through the app by providing the file number and date of birth
Download the M-Passport Seva App here.
7. OnlineRTI App
This app is a part of the Government’s initiative to simplify complex procedures. Using this app, users can access the RTI portal using their smartphones. Using this Android app, users can submit their RTI query. The lawyers and experts will frame an application and send a draft back to the user for approval. It can be modified as required or submitted as it is. The response from the authorities for your application will reach you within a month. Some features of the app are as follows:
- Users can form forums and discuss queries amongst themselves
- All information about state and central government rules regarding RTI applications can be accessed through the app itself
- Users can also track the status of their application and connect with various RTI activists over the app
Download the OnlineRTI App here.
8. M-Kavach App
This app is a comprehensive mobile security solution. The Indian Cyber watchdog CDAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) developed a standalone app called MKavach in an effort to protect users from malware and hacking attacks. Some features of the app are as follows:
- It addresses threats related to malware that steal personal data and credentials
- It prevents the misuse of WiFi and Bluetooth resources
- It can change the SIM information and thus prevent the use of a lost or stolen device by an unauthorized person
- It allows easy backup and restoration of data both locally (smartphone) and remotely (server)
- It also blocks Spam SMSs, premium-rate SMSs, and unsolicited incoming calls
9. DigiLocker App
DigiLocker is a key initiative under Digital India, the Government of India’s flagship program aimed at transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It is a step towards paperless governance. SOme features of the app are as follows:
- DigiLocker is a platform for issuance and verification of documents & certificates in a digital way
- Eliminates the use of physical documents
- Users can access their documents and certificates from your DigiLocker on their mobile devices.
Download the Digilocker App here.
10. India Voter List App
This app helps you avoid the hassle of entering a voting booth with proof of identity or other documents just to check whether your name is there on the voting list. Through the India Voters list app, citizens can authenticate themselves as voters by searching the state-wise electoral database for their names and primary details.
- The data used is 100% authentic and verified
Another useful electoral app developed by the Election Commission of India is Voter Information Search Using SMS. Here, a voter can check whether their name has been included in the electoral roll of their constituency.
Download the India Voter List App here.
11. GARV (Grameen Vidyutikaran) App
The app lets anyone track the progress of rural electrification in India through a real-time dashboard. Reports by the GVAs (Grameen Vidyut Abhiyantas or rural electrification engineers) are shared through the GARV app with officials as well as the public. This puts pressure on the State governments and thus ensures timely and quality delivery.
The app aims at increasing the transparency of the developmental process. Here, GVAs directly capture the electrification data on the app instead of the data first coming from state governments. Some features of the app are as follows:
- Users can see the total number of unelectrified villages on the dashboard
- The dashboard is multilingual and thus user-friendly
- They can also see which villages will be electrified next
- Progress status of a particular village can also be checked using the app
- Milestone tabs display the percentage of target achieved as against the number of days left for completion
Hope this post helps you with GK and current affairs preparation for the upcoming interviews and exams.
All the best!!
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