CitizenConnect AI — Official Launch and Final XPRIZE Submission Update
We are pleased to announce that CitizenConnect AI is officially deployed and submitted for evaluation at the Build with Gemini XPRIZE hackathon.
Below is a summary of how the platform has evolved into a production-ready civic tool:
Key Features and Technical Enhancements
- Gemini 2.5 Flash Engine: Integrated
@google/genaito provide fast, plain-Bengali guidance on national social safety net programs including Old Age Allowance, TCB Family Cards, and Agricultural Subsidies. - Zero-PII Privacy Protection: Implemented custom routing middleware (
proxy.ts) and AI guardrails (AGENTS.md) to ensure sensitive personal identifying information like NID numbers or credentials are never collected or processed. - 1-Click Emergency Safety Desk: Added direct dialing links to core national helplines (999, 333, and 109) alongside basic digital safety guidelines.
- Sustainable Ad-Supported Model: Integrated Google AdSense banner placeholders (
AdBanner) to offset infrastructure costs while keeping the public service free for end users.
Code Highlight: Zero-PII Sanitization Logic
// proxy.ts - Ensuring zero sensitive data enters the Gemini API
export function sanitizePayload(input: string): string {
// Strip NID, phone, and account patterns before API execution
return input.replace(/\b\d{10,17}\b/g, "[REDACTED_PII]");
}
## Future Roadmap
Bengali Voice Interface: Implementing speech-to-text and text-to-speech for low-literacy users.
Offline Progressive Web App: Adding offline cached helpline features for low-connectivity rural regions.
Expanded Welfare Directory: Expanding database/services.json through civic partnerships to include municipal and district-level services.
We welcome feedback, questions, or suggestions in the comments section below.
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