Government launches AI chatbot 'Samadhan Didi' to address citizen complaints
What's the story
The Indian government has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot called 'Samadhan Didi' to help citizens file complaints against government departments. The initiative was unveiled by Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, who called it a "democratization of the public grievance mechanism" in India. The move is part of the government's effort to make public services more accessible and user-friendly for citizens.
Chatbot functionality
How 'Samadhan Didi' works
The 'Samadhan Didi' chatbot allows citizens to file complaints by simply speaking in their own language. It understands the concern, asks relevant clarifying questions, and automatically identifies the appropriate ministry/department, category, and sub-category. The complaint is then filed with the correct authority. Developed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with Bhashini, this innovative tool works within secure government infrastructure to ensure data privacy.
Tech impact
Singh urges states to adopt AI-driven tools
Singh emphasized the transformative role of technology in public administration, saying that AI is democratizing grievance redressal. He also said that these tools are strengthening citizen engagement and improving the quality and speed of grievance resolution. The minister urged states and other stakeholders to adopt AI-driven, voice-assisted tools like "Samadhan Didi" into their own state-level grievance portals for better outreach.
Grievance system
Shift in grievance redressal system under Modi government
Singh also highlighted the shift in the grievance redressal system under the Modi government. He said that when the government came to power in 2014, only about two lakh grievances were registered annually through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal. Now, this number has increased manifold to over 25 lakh every year. The CPGRAMS allows citizens to raise complaints against government departments online.
Inclusivity efforts
Making CPGRAMS more linguistically accessible
Singh stressed that India's linguistic diversity should be an enabler of access, not a barrier. He said that efforts are underway to make CPGRAMS more linguistically accessible. Beyond the 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, regional and indigenous languages such as Bhojpuri, Garo, Khasi, Mijo, and Bodhi are being added in a phased manner for greater inclusivity for citizens from diverse linguistic backgrounds.