The UMANG App – Making e-Governance A Reality!

A key initiative of the Digital India program, the UMANG app was launched recently, giving you access to a variety of government services on your smartphone. Here’s all you need to know!

Well, smartphones are seriously taking over the world!

Almost a year after its announcement, the UMANG (Unified Mobile Application For New-Age Governance) app was finally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week. With UMANG, you can now access all central and state government services (although not all services are yet functional on the app) from your mobile phone.

The app is available on iOS, Android, and Windows.

Additional Reading: Indian Government Launches UMANG App

For those of you who are still using not-so-smart phones, UMANG is available as a web service too. Plus, the app will soon be made available for feature phones and easily accessible without the need for an internet connection.

As of now, this one-stop shop for e-governance is expected to provide access to over 1,200 services of different government departments across states and the Centre. The app will also support utility bill payments in the near future. For now, you can access services such as PAN card, passport, income tax, GST, PF, land records, Aadhaar, Bharat Bill Payment Services and more. Soon, the app will provide access to services such as healthcare, the revenue department, national scholarships and more.

Additional Reading: GST: Expensive Or Cheap?

Let’s explore the UMANG app a little, what say? Firstly, you got to download the app if you haven’t yet done it. Head to your App Store/Google Play Store/Windows Store and download it now to make government services easily accessible via your phone.

How To Register/Login

Step 1:

Downloaded? Okay, now click on the app icon. You will see a blue screen (refer to image below) prompting you to select your preferred language.

The app supports 13 languages – English, Hindi and 11 regional languages. Choose the one you prefer and click on the arrow icon.

Step 2:

You’ll now see UMANG’s End User License Agreement. Read the terms and conditions. Then, click on the checkbox next to ‘I Agree to all terms and conditions’.  Click ‘Next’ to continue.

Step 3:

The next screen will present two options – Login and Register. If you’re an existing user, you can directly login. However, assuming that you’re a new user (like us), you’ll have to first register to access the services provided by the app. Don’t worry, registration is pretty simple!

Step 4:

As a part of registration, the first step is to enter your 10-digit mobile number. You’ll receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on your mobile number. Kindly enter your current phone number as this number will be used for logging in to the app in the future.

Step 5:

Enter the 6-digit OTP that was sent to the mobile number you provided and click on ‘Next’ to proceed.

Step 6:

You’ll have to set an MPIN which is a 4-digit password to protect your account from unauthorised use and fraudulent activities. Do not forget your MPIN as it will be necessary to make transactions via the app and even make changes to your profile. Also, please do not share your MPIN with anyone (treat it just like your ATM PIN).

Step 7:

After setting the MPIN, you’ll have to set your security questions. You can choose from the list of questions. You can answer these questions to recover your account in case you forget your username or MPIN.

Step 8:

‘Profile Information’ is the last step before you’re taken to the homepage of the app. You can choose to enter your details or skip this step. We’d recommend that you enter your personal details for a seamless experience.

And you’ve successfully completed the registration process! Woohoo!

P.S. As of now, it is not mandatory to link your Aadhaar with the UMANG app. But it wouldn’t hurt to link.

Additional Reading: Linking Your Bank Account with Aadhaar: What Happens if You Don’t?

The Homepage

Now let’s check out the homepage features, shall we?

The UMANG app’s homepage is neatly divided into different sections – New and Updated, Trending, Top Rated and Suggested. If you search for any particular service/s, a new section will appear on the top – Recently Viewed – which will list the services you’ve used or searched for recently.

There is a search bar on the top of the page. Next to this, you’ll find a filter button and a notification (bell-shaped) button. Click on the notifications button to view any promotional messages or your transactions. You can use the filter option to sort services based on popularity, type or category.

At the bottom of the homepage, there are five options to choose from – Home, Favourites, All Services, State, and More. Click on the All Services option to view and choose from the different services offered on the app. The State option lets you choose a state and check out the state-specific services that are available.

The More option allows you to edit your profile, link your social media accounts to the app, your transaction history, change app settings, chat live with customer support, and much more.

That’s it! You are now a pro at using the UMANG app. If you’ve got any doubts, feel free to post it in the comments sections below.

In A Nutshell

UMANG is indeed a great step towards complete e-governance for our country. And we think this is a great initiative by our government. What do you think about the UMANG app? Do you think it will pave the way for e-governance? Let us know your thoughts below.

Psst! BankBazaar is the one-stop shop for all your financial needs and we’ve got an amazing app too. Try us, maybe?