DIGIPIN: Govt Launches Know Your Pin Portal To Digitise House Addresses

The Government is preparing to integrate a "digital address" system into the country's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The initiative aims to streamline address verification, ensure secure data sharing, and enhance last-mile delivery of public services, the Government announced in an official statement.

The proposed system would standardise how addresses are stored and shared, with a core emphasis on user consent and data security. This digital framework seeks to fix the longstanding inefficiencies of India's address system, which often relies on vague landmarks or incomplete information, obstacles that have long hampered e-commerce, logistics, and government services.

Vandita Kaul, Secretary, Department of Posts, said, "The launch of these two applications reflects our Government's unwavering commitment to digital transformation and precision governance. DIGIPIN, in particular, will redefine how we perceive addresses, ensuring that every citizen, even in the remotest part of the country, is digitally locatable and serviceable. These applications are a testimony to the Department's continued efforts to modernise infrastructure and meet the evolving expectations of citizens and all other stakeholders," in the official announcement.

The concept is rooted in "address information management" and aims to bring regulation to what remains an ungoverned and error-prone area of India.

The framework is being developed under the oversight of the Department of Posts, with close monitoring from the Prime Minister's Office. A draft version, including technical standards for digital addresses, is expected to be released for public consultation within a week. A finalised version could be in place by the end of the year.

Sources indicated that the Government is also considering introducing legislation in the upcoming winter session of Parliament to establish a dedicated authority to oversee the new address ecosystem, as per the official statement.

Economic Factor Behind The Move

A significant economic factor is also in play. Studies referenced by the government estimate that incorrect or incomplete address data could be costing the country up to $14 billion annually, roughly 0.5 per cent of its GDP. Recognising the issue, the Centre set up a Thematic Working Group to address standards in December 2023, under the National Geospatial Policy.

The revamped Post Office Act of 2023 has laid the groundwork, giving the Centre the authority to define official address formats and implement nationwide postcodes.

A cornerstone of the upcoming system is the Digital Postal Index Number, or DIGIPIN, a ten-character alphanumeric code based on geospatial coordinates. Unlike traditional addresses, DIGIPIN is tied directly to exact map locations, making it particularly useful in rural or unstructured areas where conventional addresses fall short.

Government officials have identified DIGIPIN as a transformative tool for public service delivery. "Precise location-based identification" could revolutionise how services are rolled out in remote or informal settlements, forested regions, and rapidly changing urban areas.