The Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) has partnered with Airchains, a multichain zk-FHE privacy modular framework to incorporate blockchain technology into its governance framework. This pioneering move will see the digital recording of Building Permission Certificates, work orders, and colony development permissions, marking the first use case of Zero-Knowledge Fully Homomorphic Encryption (zk-FHE) in governance.
The initiative will begin with issuing Building Permission Certificates incorporating Blockchain QR codes across all zones under the Raipur Municipal Corporation. In the future, this technology will be expanded to include multiple other departments for certification.
Integrating blockchain technology into Raipur’s governance systems aims to enhance transparency, reduce corruption, and improve the efficiency of administrative processes. By leveraging zk-FHE, the RMC ensures that data is not only secure but also private, allowing for verifiable computations without compromising sensitive information. This sophisticated framework rolled out by Airchains, ensures the encryption and security of all sensitive certificate data throughout its lifecycle. Utilizing zk rollups, the system efficiently batches and processes transactions, significantly enhancing throughput and reducing operational costs. Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) guarantee certificate verifiability without compromising data privacy, thereby fostering trust and transparency in the issuance process.
Over the past two years, between April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2024, RMC has approved over 8,300 Building Permission Certificates. Annually, 15 to 20 Colony Completion Certificates are recorded, and work orders generating revenue of over INR 1 crore are issued from approximately 40 to 60 work orders annually.
Abhinash Mishra, IAS and Commissioner, Raipur Municipal Corporation, expressed his enthusiasm for this initiative, stating, “Raipur is committed to progressive governance, and the adoption of blockchain technology represents a significant step forward in our mission to enhance transparency and efficiency. We are delighted to partner with Airchains in this endeavour, as their expertise in blockchain technology will help us reduce ambiguity and corruption, ensuring a more trustworthy and effective governance system.”
Airchains, a leading blockchain solutions provider for privacy-preserving frameworks, with its easy plug and play model is enabling this ease of adoption of Web3 for large use cases across different sectors. The company’s innovative approach to incorporating zk-FHE will provide a secure and transparent platform for managing RMC’s records.
Ankur Rakhi Sinha, Co-founder and CEO of Airchains, commented on the partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Raipur Municipal Corporation to bring our advanced blockchain technology to their governance systems. Our zk-FHE solution is designed to offer unparalleled security and privacy, enabling a new era of transparent and efficient governance. This initiative is a testament to the innovative spirit of Raipur and its commitment to leveraging technology for the public good.”
The Raipur Municipal Corporation’s adoption of blockchain technology signifies a bold move towards modernizing governance, setting a precedent for other municipalities to follow. This initiative is expected to bring about significant improvements in the management of construction permissions, work orders, and colony development records, ultimately benefiting the residents of Raipur.
