The Gujarat government has partnered with Meta to explore innovation across artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation wearable technologies, and digital infrastructure, with the aim of strengthening citizen-centric governance and inclusive digital development.
As part of the collaboration, the state government and Meta signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a WhatsApp-based conversational chatbot under Gujarat’s ‘Sugam Digital’ initiative. The partnership is expected to run over a two-year period.
The chatbot, which will be available in Gujarati and English, is designed to help citizens access 20 government services directly through WhatsApp. The platform will support services including grievance redressal, income, caste and EWS certificates, ration card updates, revenue records, and official affidavits. The chatbot will also include voice capabilities to improve accessibility for users across rural and urban regions.
Speaking on the partnership, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the state has consistently led the way in digital adoption, adding that the collaboration with Meta represents a major step toward building future-ready digital infrastructure. He said the state aims to leverage AI and emerging technologies to improve citizens’ lives while ensuring transparent, inclusive, and accessible digital governance.
Hareet Shukla, Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Government of Gujarat, said the initiative is intended to make governance more accessible, efficient, and citizen-friendly. He noted that the Sugam Digital initiative on WhatsApp is designed to ensure that critical government services can be accessed directly by citizens, including those in remote areas, without requiring physical visits to government offices.
Arun Srinivas, Managing Director and Country Head at Meta, said AI and digital technologies have the potential to significantly improve citizen services, simplify access to governance, and help small businesses adopt advanced digital capabilities. He added that WhatsApp’s widespread familiarity and ease of use make it an effective platform for extending public services to even the most remote parts of the country, and said Meta is pleased to support Gujarat’s vision of creating more inclusive and accessible digital governance.
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