Tamil Nadu launches blockchain infra, mobile wallet for securing documents
Nambikkai Inaiyam (NI) serves as a blockchain infrastructure designed for Tamil Nadu. It leverages the power of blockchain to ensure the security and integrity of critical documents and data.
Tamil Nadu has unveiled a blockchain-as-a-service infrastructure named Nambikkai Inaiyam (NI), which it refers to as the "blockchain backbone" of the state.
It has also launched a blockchain-based mobile app, known as e-Pettagam app, for securely sharing digitised documents.
Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Tamil Nadu's Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, launched both initiatives at the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) yesterday.
Rajan tweeted, "The Nambikkai Inaiyam is a blockchain-as-service infrastructure that will allow citizens to securely store their documents and data, protecting it from tampering, hacks and leaks. As digital security and privacy grow more crucial each passing day, this is an important step ahead."
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At its core, Nambikkai Inaiyam (NI) serves as a blockchain infrastructure designed for the state. It leverages the power of blockchain to ensure the security and integrity of critical documents and data.
By utilising NI, the government can protect various records from tampering, including e-sevai certificates, academic certificates, mark sheets, licenses, and land transaction records.
The e-Pettagam app, as per an official release, provides a solution for securely sharing these digitised documents.
Through these developments, the government aims to empower residents and businesses in Tamil Nadu to participate in a secure and paperless exchange of vital information.
The digital documents shared through the e-Pettagam app can be verified by employers, higher education institutions, government entities, banks, and other authorities.
Notably, this streamlined verification process significantly reduces the need for individuals to physically travel and submit original documents for employment, admission, government services, or international endeavours.
In a late 2022 article about NI, the Tamil Nadu government said the platform will be hosted on a hybrid infrastructure.
"Nodes can be either on a private cloud or State SDC or on-premise. Organisations that do not want the custody or overhead of hosting a node can access the blockchain through an API gateway. NI will include a secure infrastructure consisting of blockchain cores, a business logic layer and client API gateways," it said.
Tamil Nadu's steps in adopting blockchain technology align with similar efforts seen in other Indian states, such as Karnataka and Telangana.
Last month, the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) initiated the implementation of blockchain-based digital certificates for skill-based courses.
This initiative, aimed at enhancing transparency and security in certificate issuance, provides students with tamper-proof records of their credentials upon course completion.
In late 2022, Telangana launched a Web3 regulatory sandbox, providing a controlled regulatory environment for selected blockchain startups to test their solutions.
This unique initiative offers support, including mentorship, regulatory compliance guidance, and collaboration opportunities with key ecosystem stakeholders.
Edited by Suman Singh