Odisha on Friday launched “Ama Sathi”, a unified WhatsApp chatbot that makes 120 citizen-centric services available to over 45 million residents.
Developed in partnership with Meta, the platform allows people to access essential services — ranging from birth and income certificates to driving licences and the National Family Benefit Scheme — through WhatsApp number 9437292000.
Available in Odia and English and equipped with voice capabilities, the chatbot acts as a one-stop digital assistant. It enables citizens to raise and track grievances, access housing, urban development, education, agriculture, horticulture, police services, land records, and revenue details. Inter-caste marriage benefits and other government schemes are also included.
A dynamic dashboard of the Odisha Right to Public Services Act (ORTPSA) Central Monitoring System was launched alongside the chatbot to enhance accountability in service delivery.
Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja said: “With Ama Sathi, Odisha takes a transformative step towards truly citizen-centric governance.”
Additional chief secretary Surendra Kumar noted that awareness about Ama Sathi and ORTPSA will be promoted through bus branding, hoardings, TV, radio, and information boards across the state.