Insights

Grep Digital develops e-Licensing solution blueprint

May 26, 2023

E-Governance makes the process of obtaining government licenses more streamlined and efficient. In this show case project, we will brief explain the current process and challenges in the process of issuing e-licenses to applicants. We also cover the solution blueprint using the R3 Corda platform and the benefits thereof.

E-License Process

The E-License process consists of the following steps:

Registration of an Applicant

The first step in the process is the registration of the applicant, where the applicant undergoes a sign-up to create an account. Provides their personal information such as Name, Cell number, email address, Company name and Certificate of Incorporation.

Approval of Application on e-Governance Portal

The e-Governance admin shall review the applicant’s details and approve the login credentials on the portal.

Creation of Application for e-License

Once the registration process is completed, the applicant can create an application for the license, stating the purpose of the license. At a minimum the applicant provides the following information:

The applicant submits the application along with all the necessary documents on the e-Governance portal for processing.

Payment of Fees

Applicants pay the license fees as specified in the application form.

Assignment to Review Panel

A review panel then assigns the application, evaluating the mentioned credentials and experience. The panel may also request for additional information from the applicant during the evaluation process. Each individual panel member provides their written feedback on the application and marks the review as complete.

Completion of Review

The admin tracks the progress of the application in various stages of review, generates a weekly report and shares with the higher ups. Admin also sends reminder to the review panel members on the deadlines and extend it on a case to case basis. Upon completion of all the reviews, admin collates all the feedback, adds own review comments and marks it as complete. They send the recommendation for a decision to higher-ups for ratification.

Acceptance or Rejection

Finally, the applicant receives the acceptance or rejection of their application for the e-license.

Challenges

The manual process of issuing e-licenses as part of e-governance processes poses several challenges, including:

Solution Blueprint – R3 Corda platform

The use of R3 Corda platform to implement has simplified the various manual processes involved in the issuance of licenses. They use the platform to convert the traditional business flows into Corda flows and implement them using Java, which is more efficient and secure.

The platform allows for the creation of smart contracts, which automate the process of verifying the identity and documents of the applicant, match the criteria based on the category of application for e-licensing operations. The use of smart contracts also ensures that the entire process is transparent and auditable.

Platform Registration

The e-licensing application process is broken into a process flow with 3 major players namely, applicant, admin and the reviewers. First, the applicant registers themselves on the R3 Corda platform. The individual panel members also undergo a registration process.

Application Submission

Next, the applicant submits the application for e-license with all relevant details. The admin reviews the application and assigns it to a review panel. The various stages of processing the application is converted into Corda flows to record all the interactions among the players. See the figure below as a reference.

The applicant, admin and the reviewers can watch the various stages of processing of the application using the respective logins provided by the portal admin.

Benefits

R3 Corda is a platform designed specifically for enterprise use cases, including e-licensing. Some of the benefits of using R3 Corda platform to implement the e-licensing process include:

Security & Transparency

R3 Corda provides a secure and tamper-proof platform for e-licensing, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive data.

• Provides strong identity management features that enable the platform to authenticate and verify the identities of all parties involved in a transaction. This helps to prevent fraud and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
• Uses a distributed architecture, which means that data is not stored in a single location. This makes it difficult for hackers to breach the system and steal sensitive data.
• Uses a permissioned network, meaning that only authorized parties can access the network and view sensitive data. This helps to prevent unauthorized access to the system and ensure that data is kept secure.
• Supports the use of digital signatures, which provide a tamper-evident way of verifying the authenticity of a document. This helps to ensure that documents are not tampered with and that the licensing process is transparent.
• Uses an immutable data model, which means that once data is entered into the system, it cannot be changed. This provides a tamper-proof record of all licensing transactions and ensures that the licensing process is transparent.
• Provides a transparent and auditable record of all licensing transactions, increasing transparency and reducing the risk of fraud. This enables regulators to monitor the licensing process and investigate any suspicious activity.

Efficiency

R3 Corda platform is designed to automate many of the processes involved in e-licensing, reducing the time and cost of processing licenses.

• It supports the use of smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts that enforce the terms of an agreement. Smart contracts automate the licensing process, ensuring that all parties adhere to the rules and regulations governing the issuance of licenses. It reduces the time and resources needed to process licenses.
• Designed for real-time processing, this capability allows us to process licensing applications quickly and efficiently. This can help to improve the overall speed and efficiency of the licensing process.
• Uses a consensus mechanism that allows all parties on the network to agree on the validity of a transaction. This ensures that there is no need for intermediaries to verify transactions, reducing the time and cost of processing licenses.

Accessibility & Interoperability

R3 Corda platform streamlines the application process and make it easier for citizens to apply for licenses from different countries and jurisdictions.

• Provides a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and understand, making it accessible to users with different levels of technical expertise.
• Easily integrated with existing government systems, such as identity management systems, tax systems, and land registries. This makes it easy to share data and streamline the licensing process.
• Provides application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow developers to easily access and interact with the platform. This makes it easy to develop custom applications and interfaces that integrate with the platform.

Flexibility & Scalability

The R3 Corda platform is an ideal choice for e-licensing implementation. It can handle large volumes of licensing transactions, and upgrade the platform as needed to meet evolving requirements.

• Modular architecture allows for easy customization and integration with existing systems. This makes it easy for governments to tailor the platform to their specific needs and integrate it with other government systems.
• Ability to deploy on-premise or in the cloud, providing governments with the flexibility to choose the deployment option that best suits their needs.
• The horizontal scaling happens with additional nodes in the network to increase its capacity and handle larger volumes of transactions.
• Supports versioning and upgrades, allowing governments to easily upgrade to newer versions of the platform without disrupting their existing licensing processes.

Outcome

Grep Digital in collaboration with fractal team, created a solution blueprint to implement E-Licensing using the R3 Corda platform that simplifies various manual processes involved in the issuance of licenses. This helps to reduce the time it takes to process an application. The platform also establishes traceability in the processing of applications, creating immutable records that anyone can audit at any time. Overall, the solution platform makes the process of obtaining licenses more efficient and secure for both the applicants and the e-Governance authorities.

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