Truecaller, a caller identification app, has launched an in-app digital government directory in India to support interactions 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 institutions, hospitals and other key departments from around 23 states including union territories.
Truecaller claims that the new digital government directory is a significant step towards 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 officials through verified contacts across states. Truecaller has worked directly with the government to obtain this information from official government sources.
How to check if a contact comes in official directory or not
Users will see a green background and a blue tick, indicating that the number is verified. Truecaller is working with various government departments to expand the directory and is considering adding district and municipal level contacts 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 Mishra, Director of Public Affairs, Truecaller, said: “Trucaller has evolved from just a caller identification app and today is bridging the digital divide between the urban and growing semi-urban/rural markets in India by enabling trust in digital Communication. Our endeavor is to protect people from scams and frauds by impersonation of government officials at large. We believe that with this feature, citizens can easily reach out to the right officials when in need. Numbers is the first digital directory of its kind and we will continue to improve it based on user feedback. We will continue our efforts to make communication safer by building trust.”
