WhatsApp-based chatbot introduced in Tirunelveli to take welfare schemes to public

TIRUNELVELI

For the first time in Tamil Nadu, the district administration has introduced a WhatsApp-based chatbot prepared by a three-member startup team to take government welfare programmes to the public.

When the district administration, in association with Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (TANSIM), organised Tamil Nadu’s first ‘GovTechThon’ recently on four problem statements, the chatbot prepared by Ajith, Sivasubramanian and Venkatesh on lucidly telling the user about the welfare schemes based on the user’s age, financial status, qualifications, etc., won the first prize in the competition.

“We decided to fine-tune the chatbot to take it to the people. Now, the fine-tuned version can easily be used in the WhatsApp mode to get details about 500-odd welfare programmes being offered by 30-plus departments of the State and the Central governments,” said Collector V. Vishnu, a U.S.-trained risk analyst, who fine-tuned it.

Once a ‘Hi’ is sent to the WhatsApp number 94458 79944, the interactive chatbot, christened ‘SEVAI’ (Searches Explored Via Artificial Intelligence), guides the user to the relevant welfare programme based on the information provided by the user.

The district administration has planned to popularise this chatbot among students. “We’ll introduce it across Tamil Nadu very soon,” announced Minister for Information Technology T. Mano Thangaraj, who inaugurated the Information Technology Conclave here on Thursday, in which several students and the promoters of startups participated.

 A drone flying with the mascot of the chatbot was used from the rear end of the conference hall to the dais to mark the unveiling of ‘SEVAI’ by the Minister.

Mr. Thangaraj announced that the State government, which would be organising ‘Umagine’ in Chennai soon to provide a common platform for startups to showcase their products and companies willing to buy these innovative products, would organise an investors’ meet exclusively for the benefit of the southern districts.