Source: TH
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: The Department of Posts has released a draft amendment to introduce DHRUVA, a UPI-like digital addressing system enabling users to share address “labels” such as name@entity.
About Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA):
What it is?
- DHRUVA is a national Digital Address Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that standardises, digitises and virtualises physical addresses through secure, consent-driven sharing using UPI-like address labels.
- It builds on the DIGIPIN system to offer geocoded precision and interoperability across platforms.
Launched by: Draft policy introduced by the Department of Posts in 2025 for public consultation.
Aim:
- To create a unified, interoperable, secure, and user-controlled digital address ecosystem.
- To treat address-data management as a core public infrastructure similar to Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker.
- To enable Address-as-a-Service (AaaS) for government, businesses, and citizens.
Key Features:
- UPI-like Address Labels: Users get a virtual address such as “name@entity”, which acts as a proxy for their physical address—reducing the need to fill address forms repeatedly.
- Consent-Based Access: Companies can access the user’s geocoded or textual address only with time-bound authorisation, ensuring strong privacy protection.
- DIGIPIN Backbone:
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- DIGIPIN = a 10-character alphanumeric geocode representing latitude–longitude.
- Maps every 14 sq m patch of Indian territory (~228 billion unique pins).
- Open-sourced and precise, especially for rural and hard-to-map areas.
- Address-as-a-Service (AaaS) Framework: Provides secure APIs for integrating address data across government agencies, logistics firms, fintech, e-commerce, etc.
- Institutional Architecture:
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- A Section 8 not-for-profit entity (NPCI-like) will administer the ecosystem.
- Address Service Providers (ASPs) issue labels; Address Information Agents (AIAs) manage consent workflows.
- Interoperability & Private-Sector Participation: The system is voluntary—designed to attract e-commerce, gig platforms, financial services, and logistics companies.
