Truecaller, a caller identification app, has launched an in-app digital government directory in India to support the interaction between citizens and the government. The directory gives users access to thousands of verified contacts of government officials, including helplines, law enforcement agencies, embassies, educational institutes, hospitals, and other key departments of about 23 states, including union territories.
Truecaller claims that the new digital government directory is an important step in building trust in citizen services by protecting users from scams, fraud, and spam. It will strengthen trust in digital communication and empower citizens to connect with public representatives and authorities through verified contacts across states. Truecaller has worked directly with the government to source this information from official government sources.
How to check if a contact falls in the govt directory
Users will see a green background and a blue tick, indicating that the number is verified. Truecaller is working with different government departments to expand the directory and is looking at adding contacts at the district and municipal levels in the next phase, based on user feedback. Truecaller has also created a simple process for any government agency to share information and get verified on the directory.
Pragya Misra, Director of Public Affairs at Truecaller, said: “Truecaller has evolved to become more than just a caller identification app and is today bridging the digital divide between the urban and growing semi-urban/rural markets in India by enabling trust in digital communication. Our attempt is to protect people from widespread impersonating of government officials leading to scams and frauds. We believe that with this feature, citizens can easily reach out to the right authorities when in need. This is a first its kind digital directory of government numbers and we will keep improving on it based on user feedback. We will continue to align our efforts to make communication safe by building trust.”
