A number of Indian states are ramping up efforts to bring blockchain technology to e-governance, The Economic Times reported.

According to the report, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are leading the race to adopt blockchain, while efforts are also made by the state governments in Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. The state governments are reaching out to blockchain startups in order to protect their data from cyber-attacks.

Telangana, in collaboration with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), has already launched a pilot project in certain pockets of Hyderabad to use blockchain in the land registry system and integration with the state revenue department. The complete rollout of this initiative across Hyderabad and surrounding areas is expected in the next six to twelve months, E Magesh, director of C-DAC, Hyderabad, told ET.

Andhra Pradesh has also launched blockchain pilot projects in its civil supplies and land records departments. The state government is expected to start transferring some of its data to a blockchain in next 8-12 months. It is already holding discussions with Broadridge Financial Solutions, which has established a centre for blockchain excellence in the state, and startups including SimplyFi and Snapper Technologies.

"Within 6-8 months, land records for Andhra Pradesh can go on blockchain to prevent any kind of duplication or forgery, while the revenue department's data on pensions, etc., can also be moved to blockchain by next year," Sandeep Singh, cofounder of Snapper Technologies told ET.

In addition to state governments, the country’s banking sector is also embracing the technology. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the country’s central bank, has also dived into the blockchain space. Earlier this year, the RBI’s research arm Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), worked with the regulators, banks, financial institutions and clearing houses to explore the use of blockchain in a trade application.

In addition, a number of Indian banks have come together for a blockchain consortium ‘BankChain’ which recently completed the work on its first project – Clear-Chain (c2) – is a permissioned blockchain for integrated and shared KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing). The consortium has selected Microsoft Azure as the exclusive cloud partner.

FxWirePro launches Absolute Return Managed Program. For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/invest