PM’s office to launch app for smooth interface with people

Increasing its presence in the digital world, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will soon have its own mobile phone app, which will serve as an as integrated gateway to all government websites.

Increasing its presence in the digital world, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will soon have its own mobile phone app, which will serve as an as integrated gateway to all government websites.

The PMO app, set to emerge as a key interface between the people and the government, is being planned to provide faster links to different departments, downloadable content, helplines and grievance redressal mechanisms. It may also be an easy route for online donations to the prime minister’s national relief funds.

The competition to design the app got more than 50,000 responses in less than a month, and 20 winners were selected. The contest for Wireframe Design is now on, to be followed by the final stage — app development.

The winning ideas include suggestions where the app could be used to seek public opinion on key policies and also sell novelty items like Indian flags, T-shirts and other collectibles.

For die-hard fans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wallpapers and screensavers may also be made available through the app.

The users will also be allowed to link their social networking sites with the app.

The PM’s website was launched during the UPA regime. It was designed, developed and hosted by National Informatics Centre —the Centre’s information technology arm. But the app will be made through crowd-sourcing ideas with Google acting as the developer.

Over the years, ministries and departments have gone cyber, keeping up with the demands of a net-driven communicationsystem. But the PMO app will be the nodal platform, providing easier access to the government from anywhere.