Bhubaneswar: Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Wednesday launched a WhatsApp-based chatbot to make revenue-related services more accessible to citizens and help resolve complaints without the need to visit government offices.

The chatbot (9437292000) will provide access to 16 services of the Revenue Department initially, with two more services expected to be added later.

Citizens will be able to access services such as land mutation, change of land category, marriage registration, society registration and issuance of caste, income and residential certificates through the chatbot. Information related to land records and pattas available on Bhulekh will also be accessible.

The facility will allow people to apply for services and check the status of their applications from home.

The minister said the platform has been introduced keeping in mind the increasing use of WhatsApp among people. Around 1.65 crore people in Odisha are estimated to use WhatsApp, making the platform a convenient way to access government services.

According to the department, the chatbot has already facilitated more than one crore corrections under the service.

Minister Pujari said the initiative aims to reduce the need for people to visit government offices and enable them to access important revenue services from the convenience of their homes.