The Mobile Seva initiative provides an integrated, centralized mobile platform for all government departments to deliver public services to citizens through SMS, USSD, apps, and other mobile channels. It aims to bridge the digital divide by leveraging India's high mobile penetration. Key strategies include establishing a one-stop shop approach, adopting open standards, and ensuring universal access through multiple short codes. Over 1 billion SMS notifications have been sent, with impacts including improved access to services, transparency, and citizens' interface with government. Success factors include strong policy support and ease of department onboarding, while challenges remain around developing the app ecosystem and building capacity within departments.

1. Mobile Seva
Bringing Citizens and Government Together Through Mobiles
Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY)
Government of India
08 October 2014

2. Agenda
• About Mobile Seva
• Why Mobile? – ICT connectivity in India
• Challenges to overcome
• Strategies adopted
• Operational channels
• Project impacts and outcomes
• Project sustainability
• Critical success factors
• Lessons learned
• Way forward

3. About Mobile Seva
Provides an integrated,
centrally-available platform
to all Govt. Depts.:
 for integration with
common e-Gov
infrastructure in the country
to deliver public services
to citizens over mobile
devices through SMS, USSD,
Voice/ IVR, m-apps & other
channels
Unique,1st nationwide m-initiative
1-stop shop for all mobile services
Centrally hosted core infra on cloud
Depts. need not invest in own m-platform
Depts. can onboard very quickly
PoC in July 2011, national rollout in Nov 2012
Owned, funded and implemented by DeitY
Technical development by C-DAC,

4. Mobile AppStore launched in
Jan_2012
 310+ live mobile apps hosted
 http://apps.mgov.gov.in
About Mobile Seva (2)
PoC with SMSGateway launched
in Jul 2011, scaled up in Nov 12
 PUSH SMS: 1290+ Depts.
integrated; 1.39 bn+ SMSs sent
 PULL SMS: 355+ services
integrated
IVRS : Live, 164,145 Transactions Real-time status 24x7 on mgov
portal ( www.mgov.gov.in )
Regular posts on social media
( facebook.com/DIT.MGOV ,
@mgovindia, goo.gl/nCpTUP )
M-payment solutions available
through cards, net-banking & IMPS
USSD picking up

5. Why Mobile? ICT connectivity in India
Total population: >1.2 billion
Total telecom subscribers: 946.4 million
 Total wireless subscribers: 918.7 million
 41.1% rural
 Overall wireless teledensity: 73.8%
 Urban: 140.9%
 Rural: 43.9%
Total Internet Subscribers: ~243 million
 ~76% access Internet through mobile devices
Mobile platform ideally suited for widening access to e-Gov
Source: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (2014)

6. Challenges to overcome
 Low access to electronic public services, especially in rural areas
 No institutional and policy driver for mobile-enablement
 High investment requirements for depts. for m-enablement
 Lack of capacity and skilled personnel
 No convenience of a single number
 No “single window” solution

7. Strategies adopted
 Open consultations – Framework for Mobile Governance notified
in Feb. 2012
Policy directions from PM’s Committee on NeGP in 2011 and 2013
One-stop shop approach – covers all mobile based channels
Universal access to all citizens – All Telcos brought on board
 Two short codes (51969 and 166) & one long code 9223166166 operational
 Online on-boarding of departments
 Complete handholding and 24x7 support

8. Best Practices (1 ) : Open standards
Deploy
Open Stds.
Cloud-based
solns.

9. Best practices (2 ): Umbrella approach
SMS IVRS USSD Apps
1 stop
shop
All m-enablement solutions under one roof
No need for govt. depts. to create their own mobile platforms

10. 51969
Opened by all telcos at
normal rates
166
Opened by most telcos
at normal rates
9223166166
Universally accessible
at p2p rates
Best practices (3): Universal access
National platform
connected with all
telcos
Nationally avaiable
number for all non-emergency
public
services

11. Best Practices (4): Fast Onboarding
Create account:
http://services.mgov.gov.in
(Expedited vetting follows)
PUSH SMS
(i) through account
dashboard
(ii) through programmatic
interface
PULL SMS
(i) Provide API to send
messages
(ii) Define keywords, sub-keywords,
responses
e.g.: SMS “UID STATUS
XXXX” to 51969

12. Change Management: Open consultations
“Framework for
Mobile Governance”
notified in Feb 2012
2) Public
3) Consultation feedback
with various
stakeholders
1) Draft
consultation
paper
prepared in
Mar 2011
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE CONSULTATION PROCESS:
a. Mobile platform ideal for increasing access to Govt services
b. A wide range of central and state level services could be easily enabled through mobiles

13. 24x7 portal (mgov.gov.in)

14. Govt. AppStore(apps.mgov.gov.in)

15. ECI maps 913,000
polling stns;
tracks EVMs more
effectively
Keyboards in 11 Indian
languages: Boost to use
of Indian languages on
mobile devices
Andhra Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh &
Maharashtra – States
with maximum
adoption
>210 mn notifications
between UIDAI and
citizens
m-enablement of
eDistrict and SSDG
services for true and
widest impact
>569 mn notifications
between M/o
Agriculture and farmers
>329 mn notifications
between depts in
Andhra Pradesh and
citizens
>211,000 downloads
from m-app store
Unique partnership
among all stakeholders:
telcos, govt. depts.,
citizens, mobile industry
& civil society
Massive and growing impact!

16. User feedback
Available online @ http://youtu.be/PlepXLGzJOo
(Video 1)

17. Project Outcomes
• Savings in Costs, Efforts and Time for Depts. & Citizens
• Improved Access to all Depts.- No technical expertise needed
• Greater Transparency and Improved Interface with Citizens
• Simplified Procedures/Processes for Departments
• Increased Reach & Access to Government Services for Citizens

18. Project Sustainability
• Institutional Sustainability –Owned, funded and implemented
by DeitY, full support from PM’s Committee on NeGP
• Technical Sustainability – based on open standards and open
source, strategic control with DeitY
• Financial Sustainability – Fully funded by DeitY as a national
core ICT infrastructure, business model being developed

19. Critical success factors
• National policy framework on mobile governance
• Support from the highest decision making body on NeGP
• Ease of on boarding and implementation for the depts.
• Responsiveness of the implementing team
• Portal effectiveness
• Performance reliability
• Transparency and participatory design

20. Lessons learned
• Capacity within departments is a major issue
• Lack of app developer ecosystem for public services
• Need for a policy framework for m-governance
• On boarding process and implementation must be simple
and transparent
• Complete handholding and continuous support needed

21. Way forward
• Develop ecosystem for smart m-governance
 Device and OS agnostic apps: HTML5
 Transactional and integrated services
 Mobile based payments for services
 Mobile based authentication
 Location based services
 Indian language based apps
• Integration with common e-Gov ICT Infrastructure
 State Wide Area Networks, Data Centres, Service Delivery Gateways
• Additional channels
 Cell broadcasting
 Sim Tool Kit
 MMS

22. rajendra.ias@gov.in,
jsegov@deity.gov.in