Indian State Government Issues Caste Certificate to Citizens via Blockchain
The Maharashtra government has decided to leverage crypto and blockchain technology by rolling out 65,000 caste certificates, which would speed up delivering governmental schemes and benefits.
Maharashtra government to deploy database on Polygon
The Maharashtra government partnered with LegitDoc, a blockchain-based protocol that issues and verifies digital documents. Therefore, the partnership will give certificates through the Polygon blockchain to residents of Etapalli village, Gadchiroli district, which is in line with the Digital India campaign.
This is not the first time the Maharashtra government has collaborated with LegitDoc. In 2021, the state recorded one of the highest rates of academic certificate forgery, and the blockchain startup assisted in verifying original certificates. As a result, the partnership is set to benefit both parties involved.
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Shubham Gupta acknowledged that the government is always seeking to implement disruptive technologies that can help democratize citizen services.
“Web3 takes the concept of democratization to a whole new level, whereby data/information can be made openly sharable and openly unfalsifiable,” he said.
LegitDoc CEO Neil Martis noted that the caste certificate will be issued via neutral web3 platforms and would target 1.1 million economically disadvantaged residents of the Gadchiroli district, with over 70% representing the tribal population.
The caste certificate is necessary for the citizens who need to access government-funded benefits and subsidies. Currently, the Sub-division office-Etapalli has taken up the task of running 65,000 caste certificates through the blockchain system, which will gradually increase. With the success of this project in an area where digital literacy stands at its lowest, it could be possible to effectively and efficiently be scaled up across the state and beyond.
In addition, the verified certificates will reduce the rate of forgery, where bad actors would falsely want to claim the benefits meant for the less privileged citizens.
“In Web3, anyone can be part of the public blockchain network, but no single entity can control the network, thereby reducing the deplatformation risk by both internal and external actors,” the LegitDoc CEO added.
To achieve this goal, the blockchain protocol gets data from the government-managed MagaOnline portal and uploads it to the Polygon proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain. The process would generate a QR code and certificates, which various government bodies will recognize.
India is regarded as one of the significant cryptocurrency hubs, with over 100 million owners, and the users fall within the age bracket of 25 to 40 years. The rise in the adoption of cryptocurrency by the Indian population came after the government reduced its tough stance on digital currency. Therefore, it is not surprising that India has the highest crypto holders globally.
Governments Using Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology is fast spreading worldwide, and significant sectors like finance, tourism, media, health care, and entertainment have adopted this innovation to ensure effective service. Countries that use blockchain technology include:
The province of Zug (Switzerland)
The province has been using blockchain technology for a while after it launched the issuance of digital IDs based on Ethereum in 2017. Furthermore, the province has done well to attract investors with low tax rates and high-interest rates, and it is the home of prominent startups like Melonport, iProtus, and Shapeshift.
Japan
Japan has been one of the first countries to adopt blockchain technology ever since the launch of crypto. Cyberius, a digital marketing company, reported that Japan is a significant player in utilizing blockchain and crypto in Asia. Furthermore, according to the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA), over 3.5 million people exchange cryptocurrencies and accept digital assets as actual assets.
China
China holds a strict policy against cryptocurrency to handle fraud and money laundering. However, the country still experiments with blockchain technology and how the platform could transform its financial and development sector. The nation hopes to regulate growing blockchain companies and provide the proper infrastructure for the blockchain sector to grow. Blockchain has also influenced the schooling and legal system of the country.
Australia
The Queensland government in Australia also supported virtual currencies to boost tourism in Australia’s third populous, second-largest state. Tourism is one of the major economic sectors that quickly generate internal revenue for Queensland, and blockchain technology can help turn the attention of investors to the state.
Singapore
The financial sector of Singapore adopted the use of blockchain technology in 2017 through a partnership between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and a consortium of financial institutions. In addition, Project Ubin leads the strategy to integrate blockchain into the country’s financial sector.
The government has made steps to tokenize the state-issued currency on Ethereum. Moreover, they have invested a lot into the research and development of blockchain, and they are bracing themselves for a ‘Greater Blockchain Revolution’.
