All govt files to become e-files: AP moves to full paperless governance

Amaravati: The Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to fully transition to paperless governance, with all files in government offices to be handled exclusively as e-files, ITE&C & Real Time Governance Secretary Bhaskar Katamneni announced.

‘Discontinue physical files completely’

Speaking at the 5th District Collectors’ Conference here on Wednesday, he instructed Collectors to ensure that physical files are completely discontinued and that every file in every district office is processed only through the e-Office system.

‘All government services to be processed online’

He said that from January 15, all services provided by the government to citizens will be delivered entirely through online platforms, with Manamitra WhatsApp Governance designated as the first and preferred mode of service delivery.

Underscoring citizen convenience, the Secretary said the objective is to ensure that people do not have to visit government offices for routine services. Through Manamitra WhatsApp Governance, citizens can access government services, obtain certificates and make payments for taxes and bills easily from their mobile phones.

‘Spread awareness about WhatsApp Governance’

District Collectors were directed to conduct large-scale awareness programmes to increase public adoption of Manamitra.

Officials from all departments were asked to actively participate in these campaigns and explain how departmental services can be accessed efficiently through WhatsApp Governance.

DigiVerify to end physical certificate verification

Bhaskar Katamneni said the government has operationalised AP DigiVerify — a blockchain-enabled platform that eliminates the need for physical verification of certificates.

All certificates issued through AP Seva and MeeSeva have been integrated with blockchain technology and made available on DigiVerify.

Officials can instantly verify certificates uploaded by applicants, benefiting departments such as APPSC and welfare departments, while citizens are spared repeated visits to MRO offices. Several old records and marks lists are also being digitised.

Focus on grievance redressal and data-driven governance

The Secretary instructed Collectors to ensure immediate disposal of non-financial personal grievances received through PGRS, noting delays in some districts.

He informed that the RTGS Data Lake is ready, with multiple governance use cases under development, and invited Collectors to suggest additional field-level use cases to simplify daily administration.

He also said AWARE 2.0 is now live in real time and urged Collectors to regularly monitor dashboards related to groundwater levels, water availability, climate conditions and soil health, and take timely action.