AP's Mana Mitra Generates ₹22.2 Crore for 21 Temples

Andhra Pradesh's flagship 'Mana Mitra' WhatsApp Governance platform is rapidly emerging as a game changer in delivering digital public services, with its temple services alone generating more than ₹22.2 crore in revenue for 21 major temples managed by the Endowments Department . The initiative has transformed the way devotees access temple services by enabling darshan bookings, seva reservations, room bookings, and e-Hundi donations through a simple WhatsApp interface.

According to the state government, the platform has witnessed a steady rise in public adoption since its launch. Around 30% of all darshan and seva ticket bookings at participating temples are now made through Mana Mitra , reflecting the growing preference for digital, hassle-free pilgrim services.

The platform recorded a particularly strong performance between May 11 and June 11 , generating nearly ₹13 crore in just one month. Officials attributed the surge to the increasing number of devotees choosing to book temple visits, register for special rituals and make online donations directly from their mobile phones, eliminating the need to visit temple counters.

The service has also helped improve crowd management at major shrines by allowing devotees to reserve darshan slots, special sevas and tonsure services in advance. Once a booking is completed, devotees instantly receive a PDF ticket on WhatsApp, making travel planning smoother while significantly reducing waiting time at temples. Dedicated Mana Mitra service centres , separate booking counters and priority queues have also been introduced at select temples to facilitate faster entry for online ticket holders.

Among all participating shrines, Srikalahasti Sri Kalahasteeswara Swamy Temple generated the highest revenue through the platform, collecting over ₹3.3 crore from bookings and donations. It was followed by Annavaram Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Devasthanam with more than ₹2 crore , Srisailam Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple with over ₹1.7 crore , Dwaraka Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple with more than ₹1.5 crore , Vijayawada Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Temple with over ₹1.53 crore , and Simhachalam Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple , which recorded collections exceeding ₹1 crore . Officials said several other temples also witnessed a significant increase in digital bookings and online donations.

Devotees can access the service by simply sending "Hi" to the official WhatsApp number 95523 00009 , enabling them to check ticket availability, book temple services and make donations within minutes.

Launched as part of the state's broader WhatsApp Governance initiative, Mana Mitra has expanded well beyond temple services. The platform, which started with 161 government services , now provides more than 1,000 digital services across 36 government departments . Citizens can obtain income, caste, OBC and EWS certificates , access land records , pay property tax, water charges and electricity bills , download hall tickets and examination results , reserve APSRTC bus tickets , and avail a range of Endowments Department services through a single interface.

Officials said the platform promotes transparent, cashless transactions while reducing paperwork and physical visits to government offices. With plans to onboard more temples and expand digital citizen services, the Andhra Pradesh government views Mana Mitra as a key pillar of its digital governance strategy, bringing essential public services closer to citizens through one of the country's most widely used messaging platforms.