Agartala: The Tripura government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD) of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
This marks a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to increase the use of the regional languages of Tripura and to facilitate citizen’s digital participation by using these languages in governance.
The signing ceremony was held at Pragna Bhavan in Agartala during a state-level workshop ‘Bhashini Rajyam’, which was inaugurated by IT Minister of Tripura Pranajit Singha Roy.
The event was attended by IT Secretary of Tripura Kiran Gitte, CEO of DIBD MeitY Amitabh Nag, and IT Director of Tripura Jeya Ragul Geshan B.
Tripura is the first northeastern state and the eighth state in the country to sign an MOU with Bhashini.
Bhashini is a revolutionary initiative under the Digital India program to ensure seamless communication and internet accessibility for all citizens in 22 Indian languages.
Using voice as a medium, it seeks to bridge both digital and literacy divides.
The workshop outlined Bhashini’s vision for digital inclusivity and demonstrated its capabilities, including real-time translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and voice-to-voice translation between Indian regional languages and English.
It highlighted the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) for high accuracy translations.
The strategies for promoting regional languages on digital platforms and enhancing government software applications were discussed, aiming to reduce the digital divide and increase inclusivity for Tripura’s diverse linguistic communities.
Many citizens in Tripura, especially in rural and tribal areas, face challenges due to language barriers while using software systems in English or Hindi.
Bhashini can integrate with existing platforms such as the CM Helpline, eVidhan, Kisan Sahayata App, and e-Districts to enable multilingual communication.
It can also enhance local governance through applications like Amar Sarkar and support education with multilingual technologies.
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In law enforcement, Bhashini can assist the CCTNS platform by translating FIRs and enabling voice-based data entry. By enabling access to the internet in regional languages, it will help bridge the digital divide.
Integrating Bhashini into Tripura’s e-governance software will provide cost-effective translations, promote inclusive policy implementation, and strengthen regional identity.