Russian State Tests Blockchain-Based Application for Public Administration

The Russian state of Nizhny Novgorod is testing the use of the blockchain-based application “City N” for public administration tasks, according to a report by ForkLog on May 28.

State residents will reportedly be able to file their taxes on the blockchain-based Vostok platform using the City N application. Other services of the application include the ability to verify the identity of Nizhny Novgorod residents, as well as being able to track expenditures residents have paid to the states budget via the online portal of public services Gosuslugi.

Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gleb Nikitin, commented on the transparency accorded by using blockchain technology, as well as the government’s hopes for civic engagement via the new application:

“Thanks to new technologies, residents will be more actively involved in managing their city through proactive, so-called ‘participatory’ budgeting. The blockchain technology will allow us to ensure maximum transparency and honesty in relations between a person and the state.”

Funds will purportedly be allocated in the 2020 federal budget to launch a pilot of the platform in other regions. The National Center for Informatization of Rostec State Corporation will reportedly oversee the implementation of the platform nationwide.

As previously reported by Cointelegraph, the Russian state-owned holding conglomerate Rostec drafted a proposal for a five-year national blockchain strategy that would purportedly generate 1.6 trillion rubles ($25.4 billion).

According to the ForkLog report, Rostec and Vostok signed a partnership agreement to implement blockchain tech into the Russian Federation’s digital infrastructure.