India’s Goa to Digitize Police Records with Blockchain Help
The police force of Goa, a state in western India, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with blockchain startup 5ire to adopt a blockchain-based record-keeping system.
While speaking to a local news outlet, Times of India (TOI), Goa Superintendent of Police SP Nidhin Valsan said the MoU is a step by the Goa Police to go paperless as well as improve security and transparency to provide better police services to citizens.
“The MoU is for resource sharing so that with the help of blockchain technology we can provide better police services to the citizens. As an initial phase, we will aim to digitize all our documents. The ultimate goal will be to make the Goa police paperless,” Valsan said.
SP expects that the digitization will be completed within one year. Once completed, the system will allow any person to track all old and new police records, including First Information Reports (FIRs) and daily reports, online.
Speaking on the MoU, a representative of 5ire said the agreement will fulfill several objectives of the Goa Police, including increasing efficiency and cutting costs.
“A major overall objective is to digitize the Goa Police, which will increase efficiency. It will be a big cost reduction and will give the department transparency. The second aim is to make every citizen feel the transparency and we will use the most advanced blockchain technology to store all records which is more cost effective,” the representative told TOI.
5ire has previously partnered with the Muzaffarnagar police in a similar effort and recently raised $100 million in a funding round. Similarly, the state of Goa has also implemented blockchain technology in other government parastatals, including the excise department, which monitors liquor production and movement, according to a report.
India is adopting blockchain technology while cracking down on digital assets
Apart from states, India’s central government has also been exploring use cases for blockchain technology. India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), revealed that it is partnering with leading banks to launch a blockchain-based letter of credit (LC) issuance platform.
The RBI has also given the go-ahead to four blockchain startups to deploy their payment solutions across national borders for importers and exporters to easily access foreign remittances.
While India is embracing blockchain technology, its attitude towards digital assets has been dismissive. The government has warned on several occasions that digital assets pose special risks and has introduced regulations to stifle investment in the market.
See: BSV Global Blockchain Convention panel, Blockchain in the Middle East and South Asia
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