The Indian state of Telangana looks primed as a blockchain technology forerunner in the subcontinent. On July 26, 2018, state officials signed MoUs with various blockchain startups and consultants to augment the use of the burgeoning technology in administrative services.
As reported by Business Standard, Telangana’s I.T. and Industries head Jayesh Ranjan noted the implementation of blockchain technology in “six or seven” government applications. Earlier, the state had piloted blockchain-based land registry and pension platforms to bring transparency and mitigate fraud in the two middlemen-dominated businesses.
Rajan revealed migrating to blockchain-based platforms helps omit the opacity of governmental sectors by assisting citizens in tracking sensitive information and pinpointing the progress of essential applications.
However, Rajan did not name any area of implementation yet, rendering any presumptions as mere speculation.
Meanwhile, Nucleus Vision founder Abhishek Pitti is organizing the International Blockchain Conference in Hyderabad on August 3, 2018. As stated on the website, the event features state governments of Telangana and Goa, as well as NITI Ayog, the country’s authoritative body on strategic planning in rural and urban areas.
Tim Draper is scheduled to speak at the event, along with political personalities and senior members from ICON, Binance, NEO, and Huobi.
It remains to be seen how the event affects the Indian government’s infamous disdain towards cryptocurrencies and related sectors, given the magnitude of speakers and businesses scheduled for the appearance.
Telangana is regarded in India as one of the most literate and forward-thinking states. The region’s capital city of Hyderabad is home to several I.T. and software firms, employing millions of highly-skilled engineers from across the world.
Embracing blockchain technology is an extension of the state’s technology push, as evidenced several times in the past.
As reported by CCN.com, Telangana’s blockchain-based land registry platform was regarded as one “where anyone can see who holds the land.” The protocol was merged with the state’s revenue department to ensure end-to-end transparency of records while maintaining the “integrity of the information.”
Interestingly, the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, one of the country’s premier educational institutions, was included in Ripple’s $50 million educational grant in June 2018, for increasing research and development in the areas of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
Telangana temple image from Shutterstock.