eGov took the lead in kindling the imagination of a like-minded community with the inaugural DIGIT Open House a few months ago. This unique community event brought together a varied group of people who all had a passion for using technology for social good. Over 125 innovators and disruptors joined us at the eGov office for an enriching sessions and talks about reimagining possibilities. The response of the community members left us deeply invigorated and inspired.

 

 

 

From those initial conversations sprang a series of collaborations aimed at bringing about substantial change, where the community showed us the way.

Revitalising the cityscape

 

Our volunteers, Vijay from Amazon and Achintya, worked on the vehicle tracking project to reduce illegal dumping and increase verifiability. This enabled the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to precisely identify and mark illegal dumping locations such as open fields and water bodies. By harnessing geolocation tracking, the initiative aimed to reinforce adherence to designated waste disposal routes leading to the Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP). This approach was aimed at discouraging haphazard dumping practices.

 

ULBs initiated the process by submitting applications on behalf of citizens, assigning a dedicated Driver Support Officer (DSO), vehicle, and driver for waste disposal. This innovative approach offered the drivers flexibility in managing multiple trips effectively. Trips only commenced upon the driver’s arrival at the specified location, ensuring continuous geolocation monitoring from the starting point to the FSTP. An alert system promptly notified authorities if a driver paused at an unauthorised dumping site for more than 8 minutes, alerting officials of potential violations. The drivers have also appreciated the system’s simplicity, efficiency, and user-friendly operation.

 

 

 

“When I discovered illegal dumping in my area, I couldn’t stay passive. My active involvement in the project isn’t just about coding; it’s about using my skills to make a grassroots impact. Knowing that my work directly addresses a critical local problem brings deep fulfillment.”

– Vijay,
A backend engineer at Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

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Achintya, a final-year student and enthusiastic backend engineer, embodies the spirit of collaborative problem-solving shared among his peers. His passion for open-source solutions drives his commitment to witnessing changes at a local level.
Through their dedicated support and collaboration with the on-ground teams, Vijay and Achintya underscore the transformative power of community engagement.

C4GT in colleges for the student community

 

Samagra’s Code for GovTech (C4GT) programme, an innovative collaboration aimed at developing India’s first active open-source coder community. This initiative serves as a platform for anyone to contribute effectively paving the path for a global revolution in Digital Public Goods. Bright-eyed college students, supervised by our team, dived headfirst into 5 groundbreaking initiatives as a critical component of the C4GT 2023 Direct Mentoring Programme. These initiatives were displayed in August before a panel of industry experts, serving as a vehicle for all the students to absorb cutting-edge open-source technology.

Navigating growth

 

eGov organised frequent meetups and workshops to foster this growing involvement, including the important “Community as Culture” session in cooperation with Aapti Institute. The sessions provided community managers with the tools they needed to cultivate thriving developer ecosystems and sustain volunteer enthusiasm. The trio of FOSS (free and open software) United gatherings, themed “FOSS for Everyone,” brought together a vibrant group of over 60 FOSS enthusiasts, promoting a culture of information sharing, cooperation, and mutual learning.

 

 

Paving the path forward

 

Our vision goes beyond traditional borders, with the goal of shaping a more inclusive and efficient digital governance ecosystem. These endeavours are powered by the combined energy of enthusiastic individuals like you. Explore our vibrant DIGIT DPG community – let’s solve for billions, together.