TechPulse

DITE&C Announces Statewide AI Hackathon to Strengthen Public Service Delivery


Written by Intern Rency Gomes ||Team Allycaral 

The Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) has announced the launch of a statewide AI Hackathon as part of the Goa AI Mission 2027, marking a significant step towards integrating Artificial Intelligence into governance and public service delivery across the state.


The AI Hackathon aims to encourage the adoption of ethical and responsible Artificial Intelligence solutions to address real-world governance challenges. The initiative focuses on improving efficiency, transparency and citizen-centric service delivery by leveraging emerging technologies within government systems.

Under the programme, government departments, corporations, autonomous bodies and local authorities have been invited to submit problem statements based on their day-to-day operational challenges. These problem statements will identify areas where AI-based interventions can support automated verification processes, early identification of missing or incorrect information, and timely delivery of benefits to eligible citizens.

Following a detailed scrutiny and evaluation of the submitted problem statements, DITE&C will facilitate the development of AI-powered solutions tailored to the specific needs of departments. Selected solutions will be designed to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen service delivery mechanisms.

The Goa AI Hackathon builds on the success of the Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025, which invited startups and student innovators to address high-impact governance challenges. The initiative received strong participation from across the country, reflecting growing interest in technology-driven public sector innovation.

Through initiatives such as the AI Hackathon, DITE&C continues to advance the vision of a digitally empowered Goa by fostering innovation, encouraging collaboration and integrating emerging technologies to improve public service delivery and governance outcomes.

TechPulse

Over 11 Lakh Services Delivered Online: How Goa Made Governance Effortless


The COVID-19 pandemic underscored a pressing reality for governments worldwideโ€”the need for efficient, contactless, and accessible public services. In Goa, this urgency propelled GoaOnline from a functional e-Governance platform into the stateโ€™s digital backbone for citizen services.

Although GoaOnline existed before the pandemic, the crisis accelerated its adoption and expanded its scope. Designed as a single-window digital platform, GoaOnline allows citizens to access government services anytime, anywhereโ€”eliminating the need for physical visits to government offices. From application submission to final service delivery, the entire process is conducted online, ensuring transparency and convenience.

To date, the platform has processed nearly 19.9 lakh service requests, with over 9 lakh citizens completing more than 11 lakh digital transactions. These numbers firmly position GoaOnline as a national benchmark in citizen-centric governance.

GoaOnline currently offers over 265 e-services across 41 government departments. These include essential services such as income and caste certificates, labour welfare scheme registrations, health-related No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and various utility servicesโ€”covering almost every major citizen requirement.

Recognising that digital access must be inclusive, the Goa government introduced Gramin Mitras, who provide door-to-door assistance, especially in rural and senior citizen communities. For residents like Sheetal Malik from Sankhali, this initiative has been life-changing. Unable to walk to government offices, she received doorstep assistance to obtain her Life Certificate. โ€œThe experience was good, and I felt supported,โ€ she shared.

Behind the scenes, GoaOnline is powered by integrated backend systems across departments. This integration eliminates data duplication, reduces processing time, and improves service accuracy. Citizens can track applications in real-time, upload and verify documents digitally, while departmental dashboards enable effective monitoring and governance.

The initiative has gained momentum under the leadership of Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, Honโ€™ble Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, who emphasised its larger vision. โ€œGoaOnline is not just a portalโ€”itโ€™s a promise of efficient governance, where technology bridges the gap between citizens and the state,โ€ he remarked.

Looking ahead, the platform is evolving further. The Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) is working on mobile-first upgrades, chatbot support, and AI-driven features to help citizens quickly identify relevant servicesโ€”enhancing user experience and expanding digital inclusion.

By blending technology with a citizen-first mindset and strong interdepartmental coordination, Goa has redefined how governance can function in a digital era. GoaOnline is more than a portalโ€”it represents a systemic shift toward effortless, inclusive, and transparent governance in a digitally empowered India.

TechPulse

GoaOnline Crosses 9.34 Lakh Digital Service Deliveries, Reinforcing Citizen-First Governance


Panaji, June 2025: Goaโ€™s commitment to accessible, transparent, and efficient governance has found a powerful expression in GoaOnline, the stateโ€™s unified digital services platform. Under the leadership of Hon’ble Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) is driving Goa’s digital transformation through GoaOnline, a unified platform that brings government services to citizens’ fingertips

As of June 2025, GoaOnline has processed over 9.34 lakh service requests across more than 30 departments, marking a clear shift to digital-first governance. With 200+ services digitized, citizens can now apply for certificates, licenses, and permits online, significantly reducing the need for physical visits.

Among the top-performing departments includes:

  • Revenue Department: 4.45 lakh applications completed, primarily for income and caste certificates.
  • Labour & Employment: 3.16 lakh successfully processed applications for labour registrations, licenses, and welfare services
  • GIDC: 75,800 digital services delivered, including land allotment, NOCs, and business permissions
  • Health Services: Over 36,300 online completions for birth/death certificates and medical NOCs

These figures represent completed service transactions, highlighting both the scale of adoption and the successful delivery of services across departments.

Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, Honโ€™ble Minister for ITE&C, has consistently emphasized the importance of technology as an enabler of transparency, speed, and citizen empowerment. Under his leadership, DITE&C has not only scaled digital service delivery but has also pushed for local innovation, interoperability, and integration of backend processes across departments.

โ€œGoaOnline is not just a portalโ€”itโ€™s a promise of efficient governance, where technology bridges the gap between citizens and the state,โ€ said the Minister during a recent interaction.

To ensure last-mile access, Gramin Mitra extends GoaOnline to rural households, delivering services like certificates and subsidies directly to citizensโ€™ doorsteps.

The data speaks volumes: With 9.34 lakh applications processed out of 9.54 lakh applications received and a strong focus on transparency and compliance, Goa is emerging as a national model for digital governance

The Department of ITE&C continues to innovate, with upcoming plans to expand service categories, launch mobile accessibility features, and integrate emerging technologies like AI-based service recommendations and chatbot support.

Goa is not just catching upโ€”itโ€™s leading Indiaโ€™s digital governance movement. With GoaOnline, the state has shown that even the smallest state can set the biggest benchmarks.

TechPulse

Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa Appoints Third Party Auditors to Audit State IT Projects


Altinho, May 15, 2025: In a strategic move to strengthen transparency and enhance the quality of IT and ICT project implementation, the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, has empanelled to Third Party Audit (TPA) agencies for IT and ICT infrastructure projects in the state.

These agencies will function as independent auditors to review and assess the implementation of technology projects undertaken by various Government departments.

Their role includes evaluating compliance with standards, verifying performance, and ensuring that project objectives are being met effectively.

This empanelment is part of the Governmentโ€™s broader objective to strengthen Goaโ€™s IT ecosystem and promote the efficient use of digital tools in delivering public services. The focus is on ensuring transparency, improving service quality, and promoting accountability in the execution of IT initiatives.

All Government departments, corporations, and autonomous bodies have been notified and are encouraged to engage with the empanelled TPAs for relevant projects.

The Government of Goa continues to advance digital governance through structured, high-quality implementation and oversight, with the ultimate goal of improving public service delivery across the state.

TechPulse

GoaOnline Services Now Accessible via WhatsApp


Althino, March 15, 2025: The Government of Goa is enhancing citizen convenience by integrating GoaOnline services with WhatsApp. This initiative, led by the Department of Information Technology, Electronics, and Communications, will allow residents to access government documents, certificates, bills, payment receipts, and notifications effortlessly.

GoaOnline, the web-based platform, was initiated in 2017 under the guidance of Late Dr. Manohar Parrikar, with Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, IT Minister, actively supporting its development. This Online platform proved to a blessing to all Citizens specially during the pandemic. The new AI-assisted platform will further enhance their experience and access to 241 government services through Whatsapp.  

Honโ€™ble Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte emphasized the stateโ€™s commitment to digital governance, stating, โ€œWe are dedicated to making government services more efficient and accessibleโ€”transitioning from manual processes to Web based platform called GoaOnline, then anytime, anywhere door step service delivery called Gramin Mitra and now bringing services directly to citizensโ€™ fingertips via WhatsApp.โ€

Goaโ€™s WhatsApp-based service aims to make governance truly citizen-centric and easily accessible, The Government of Goa is thus striving to offer a keyword-based system to help users navigate various services efficiently.With this integration, GoaOnline users can check the status of their applications, receive due date reminders, access service pre-requisites, and get step-by-step guidance and apply for all 241 services through WhatsApp.

This marks a significant leap in digital empowerment, ensuring public services are always within reachโ€”from doorstep to fingertip.