Tamil Nadu Launches WhatsApp-Based Citizen Services, a First in India

As of August 18th, 2025, Tamil Nadu has become the fourth Indian state to launch WhatsApp-based citizen services, following in the footsteps of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha. The state government has partnered with Meta to provide access to more than 50 essential services through a single WhatsApp number, making it easier for citizens to handle tasks like paying bills, booking tickets, and obtaining certificates.

The new service, available in both Tamil and English, is designed to be user-friendly. Citizens can simply save the official WhatsApp number, send a "hi" message, and choose from a menu of services, without having to navigate multiple websites or wait in long queues. This move is part of the government's push to make governance more people-centric, transparent, and inclusive.

Ravi Garg of Meta India emphasized that WhatsApp's familiarity and ease of use make it the ideal platform to provide digital access to government services. The model consolidates various services into a single WhatsApp number, reducing friction and improving the efficiency of governance.

Similar initiatives have already been launched in other states. Andhra Pradesh introduced its "Mana Mitra" service in January 2025, offering over 160 services and facilitating 5.1 million transactions for 2.5 million citizens by March. Maharashtra also rolled out its 'Aaple Sarkar' chatbot on WhatsApp in February, enabling access to a range of services. In March, Odisha announced plans to bring 429 services onto a single WhatsApp chatbot.

As the trend continues to gain momentum, Meta's India head, Sandhya Devanathan, has stated that the company is working with multiple states to make WhatsApp the central hub for citizen engagement, with the eventual goal of adding AI-powered voice interactions for greater inclusivity.