Bhuvan’s HFA App

ISRO’s Android-based Mobile App designed to geo-

tag and monitor construction stage of house under
Housing For All scheme in India

Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation

Government of India

National Remote Sensing Centre

Indian Space Research Organisation
Government of India

November, 2020
 Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Data connectivity ............................................................................................................................ 3
3. Download and Installation of Mobile app ...................................................................................... 4
4. Mobile GPS ...................................................................................................................................... 6
5. System time and date ..................................................................................................................... 6
6. Open Bhuvan HFA mobile app ........................................................................................................ 8
7. User Profile / Registration............................................................................................................... 8
7.1 Registered as new User:.......................................................................................................... 9
7.2 Registered and approved user: ............................................................................................. 11
8. Beneficiary data to download: ...................................................................................................... 12
9. Data collection overview points.................................................................................................... 13
10. Data collection and Upload ....................................................................................................... 13
10.1 Selection of Activity .............................................................................................................. 14
10.2 Selection of Financial Year .................................................................................................... 14
10.3 Selection of Beneficiary details ............................................................................................. 15
10.4 Location data capture ........................................................................................................... 17
10.5 Visualization of House on Map ............................................................................................. 18
10.6 Photograph capture and preview ......................................................................................... 19
10.7 Adding information of the house construction .................................................................... 21
10.8 Sending the collected observation ....................................................................................... 21
11. Save data for Sending Later ...................................................................................................... 22
12. Managing your data .................................................................................................................. 23
12.1 Send Data from Send later .................................................................................................... 24
12.2 Send All Data from Send later ............................................................................................... 25
12.3 Editing of Attributes in Send later option ............................................................................. 26
12.4 Deletion of observation in Send later option ....................................................................... 28
12.5 View Sent observation .......................................................................................................... 29
12.6 View Completed observation................................................................................................ 31
12.7 View Un Sent Data in Sent Failed option .............................................................................. 31
12.8 Move To Send Later in Sent Failed........................................................................................ 33
12.9 Move To Send Later in View Sent ......................................................................................... 35
13. How to know your device UUID? .............................................................................................. 37
14. Software maintenance activity ................................................................................................. 38
14. 1 Clear Space ............................................................................................................................... 38
14.2 Reset the software configuration ............................................................................................. 40
15. Help in the mobile ..................................................................................................................... 42

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1. Introduction

Bhuvan HFA App is a user-friendly mobile application which enables to collect

and report geo-tagged information and monitor different stages of the houses
construction for which are under “Housing For All scheme”. This mobile app will
provide a platform to build spatial database on Bhuvan Geo-platform using controlled
crowd sourcing method.

2. Data connectivity
The mobile data connectivity is required to download the mobile application
(Bhuvan HFA app), also essential to send collected data to Bhuvan HFA servers and
download beneficiary data in the mobile device. The following are the step to enable
mobile data.

Step-1: Tap the Home screen from top and swipe down. The user gets pop-down
screen, which has provision to switch-on the mobile data connectivity.

Step-2: Tap on the Mobile Data button to switch-on.

Step 1 Step 2

Note: The Internet connectivity to the mobile also can be through Wi-Fi or Mobile data.

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3. Download and Installation of Mobile app
There are very simple steps to download and install the Bhuvan HFA mobile app.
The user can download the mobile app from Bhuvan Geo-platform using the web
browser in mobile and key-in the URL as mentioned below and click on enter key. The
installation requires allowing installation of apps from unknown sources and after
installation, it can be disabled.
https://bhuvan-app3.nrsc.gov.in/mobile_app/bhuvan_mobile_app.php?proj_code=151
The BhuvanHFA_2dot1dot3.apk file starts download into download folder in the
internal storage. On double click over the file (apk file), the app gets installed. The
following are the steps to download and install the application.

Step-1: Open web browser in the mobile.

Step-2: Key-in the URL (given above)

Step-3: Tap on the top of the screen and scroll down to get drop down screen
and user can visualize download status.

Step-4: On completion of the download, user can tap on the download complete
icon to initiate action for installation of the app.

A confirmation box appears to start the installation.

Step-5: Click on Install to start the installation

Step-6: Click on done to complete the installation process.

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 4 Step 5

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4. Mobile GPS

Mobile GPS is used to automatically acquire location information in the form of

longitude and latitude, the GPS receiver in the mobile must be switched-on before
opening the mobile app. The following are the options to enable GPS receiver.
Option-1: Tap the Home screen from top and swipe down. The user gets the
pop-down screen, which has provision to switch-on the mobile GPS receiver. Tap on the
GPS button to switch-on.
Option -2: Whenever user opens the app, before turn-on the GPS, user will get a
dialog box to turn on GPS manually.

Option 1 Option 1 Option 2

5. System time and date

Mobile System time and date is used to automatically sync the Beneficiary data
with the server. If the system time and data will be in disabled mode, whenever app
opens user will get an alert as “mobile must be set to ‘Use network provider date-time
and time zone’.

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Mobile System time and date used to sync the beneficiary data on daily basis if
the internet connectivity is available.

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6. Open Bhuvan HFA mobile app

The Bhuvan HFA mobile application can be seen in the list of apps and can be
brought to home screen by tap on the icon for few seconds. The user needs to tap on the
icon to open the app in the mobile device.

7. User Profile / Registration

The profile page consists of basic observer’s parameter details such as User selfie,
User ID, First Name, Last Name, Designation, Mobile Number and Organisation. The
profile filling is One Time Activity by the observer.

 These parameters are tagged with each observation. The User selfie is an
image of the field visitor. User ID is nothing but bhuvan User ID. If user not a
bhuvan user, user must register with bhuvan by clicking
https:/bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in. The User ID can be individual identification ID
among a team. The ID can be used to query / search the geospatial database
for individual points.
 This can be used to monitor the day-to-day activities of an observer on
Bhuvan geo-platform. Along with above said parameters, the user will be

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 selecting the State, District and Town along with Approval project for the
already registered user to download beneficiary data of the town to be used
for geotagging.
 Before opening the registration page user will get below alert.

 After entering into Registration page, based on the user’s status, two ways of
login facilities have been provided, one for new user and another for the
registered approved user.

7.1 Registered as new User:

Step-1: Key-in basic observer profile details and select "State", "District" and
"Town" from the dropdown.

Step-2: On clicking the "Register" icon user will get an alert as “Registered as
New User. Please wait until the registration gets approved by the
supervisor for geo-tagging".

Step-3: After click on “OK”, User will get an alert as "There are no approved
city list with your uuid and username."

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Step-4: If the user already registered with same User ID along with same
"State", "District" and "Town", then user will get alert as “You are
already registered for this city and your Registration is pending for
validation by the supervisor."

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 Step 1

Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

7.2 Registered and approved user:

Step-1: If user already have been approved for the Town, then user will get an
alert as "You are Authorized user."

Step-2: After click on “OK”, user will get another alert which states that
"Download the beneficiary details after registration."

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 Step 1 Step 2

8. Beneficiary data to download:

Once the device get registered and approved to HFA app on Bhuvan Geo-
platform, the user can download the beneficiary data based on selecting the "Approved
City or Town for data downloading, Annexure and ward”. The following are the steps for
downloading the beneficiary data.

Step-1: After selecting a town, annexure, and ward then click on "Sync Ben Data”
icon.
Step-2: Dynamic loader loading for "Downloading the Beneficiary Data......"

Step-3: One more dynamic loader after loading the data "Beneficiary Data
loading......"

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 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

9. Data collection overview points

The Internet connectivity is not required during data collection process. The
internet connection or Wi-Fi with internet is necessary only to upload the data from
mobile to the Bhuvan HFA server and filling user profile. In case of unavailability of
internet in field, the collected information can be saved in the mobile and it can be
uploaded to Bhuvan HFA server using send later option.

For operational convenience the users can collect data, save and view for any
correction in attributes using Send Later of Manage option. The uploaded data will be
systematically stored in the Bhuvan HFA server of NRSC.

The user is advised to ensure GPS/Location is switched-on with high accuracy

before opening the app.

10. Data collection and Upload

Followings are the main tasks which are aids in the field data collation and upload
in the HFA app. The step by step procedure for using the app is given below. There are
seven main tasks in this app are 1) Select the Activity, 2) Select Financial Year, 3) Select
the appropriate beneficiary, 4) GPS capture, 5) Taking photograph of the building (two

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photographs of the House), 6) Adding information of the house construction and 7)
Sending the collected information to Bhuvan HFA server, either immediately or later.

10.1 Selection of Activity

The following are the steps for the selection of Activity details by the user.

Step-1: In HFA home page user has to "select the Activity".

Step-2: For the type of beneficiary to be collected, the user must "select
the Activity, like “All BLCs”, “BLC-N” and “BLC-E”.

Step 1 Step 2

10.2 Selection of Financial Year

The following are the steps for the selection of Financial Year by the user.

Step-1: In HFA home page user has to select "Financial Year" for the kind
of observation needs to be collected. An observation type consists
of which is “All Financial Year”, “2019-20” and “2017-18”

Step-2: The user has to select any one of the "Financial Year" from the
dropdown.

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 Step 1 Step 2

10.3 Selection of Beneficiary details

The following are the steps the selection of beneficiary details by the user.

Step-1: In HFA home page user has to "Select the Beneficiary".

Step 2: The user has to tap on “select the beneficiary” for which the
observation needs to be collected. The Beneficiary Name, Beneficiary
Code, Annexure No, Fathers Name, Ward Name, Address, App
Version and Project Name can key-in to fetch list of word that match
from the beneficiary database. Key-in the any one of above
mentioned parameters in list view box.

Step-3: A list of beneficiaries appears which matches with key-word and

select the appropriate beneficiary.

Step-4: All the parameters of the selected beneficiary are displayed in the
confirmation box. Click on "OK" to confirm the selected beneficiary
details match with house parameters. Click on "Cancel" to re-select
appropriate beneficiary detail.
Step-5: The selected beneficiary details appear above map icon.

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Step 1 Step 2 & 3 Step 4

Step 5

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10.4 Location data capture

The app has provision to capture the location information in the form of
longitude, latitude, altitude that should be indicating with “red”, “orange”, “green”
colours in small circle shape and user must ensure GPS accuracy is below “20
meters” and Std Dev is above “0” and below “0.5”.

Step-1: The following are the colour indicators to display colours according to the
GPS values (Longitude, Latitude, and Altitude):
1.1 Red colour: This indicates no value or any one value not coming from GPS.
1.2 Orange colour: This indicates values are coming from GPS.
1.3 Green colour: This indicates values are coming from GPS and also
ensure that GPS accuracy is below “20 meters” and Std Dev is above “0”
and below “0.5”.

Step-2: Stand on the observation site, ensure GPS accuracy is below 20m and
Std Dev is less than 0.5 and Click on "GPS" icon.
Step-3: A confirmation box appears for accepting with respect to GPS accuracy.

Step-4: A label appears with captured accuracy in meters over the GPS icon.

Step 1.1 Step 1.2 Step 1.3

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 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

10.5 Visualization of House on Map

User can visualize the beneficiary by clicking on map icon.

Step-1: By clicking the map icon, it will give satellite image tiles, Point info.
Also all beneficiary details which are already geo-tagged once will be
displayed in pink color icon.

Step-2: The selected beneficiary will be displayed in blue color icon with
beneficiary ID.

Step-3: The current location will be displayed in the orange color icon.

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 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

10.6 Photograph capture and preview

The following are the steps to capture and preview the photographs after
taking the GPS accuracy. The user can capture and upload two photographs
of the house.
Step-1: Click on the "Photo" icon to activate your mobile camera for taking
photographs.
Step-2: Click on the "Camera" icon to capture the focus on the type of land
mark and click on the "Save" icon to save the captured photograph.
While capturing the photographs, the longitude and latitude is
captured with the direction in which the camera is held.
Step-3: Click on the blue icon to visualize captured photograph and Key-in
the text about the captured photograph.
Step-4: Click on the same blue icon to close the preview.

Note: Repeat the steps 1 to 4 to capture the second photograph.

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 5

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10.7 Adding information of the house construction
After taking the two photographs, user has to click on “Attribute” icon in the
home page. The following are the steps for filling the attribute data.

Step-1: After capturing the two photographs, click on “Attribute” icon.

Step-2: After clicking the “Attribute” icon user can fill the attribute details.

Step 1 Step 2

10.8 Sending the collected observation

Once the user is satisfied with the collected data, the following are the steps
to upload the data to Bhuvan HFA server.

Step-1: After filling all the fields in the Attribute section related to the activity of
a beneficiary then user may tap the "Send" icon.

Step-2: A dynamic loader loading for "Data uploading......"This will upload all the
information collected. User is advised to ensure that mobile data is
switched-on before tapping the "Send" icon.

Step-3: The User has to wait for confirmation message "Geo-tagged Asset
information has been uploaded successfully" on successful upload. For

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 any communication failure, a failure message appears and automatically
the data is organised in Send Failed option.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

11. Save data for Sending Later

In case of unavailability of Internet connectivity in the collection site, the user is
advised to tap "Save" icon. This will store the collected data in the mobile. Once the
Internet connectivity is available, the user may follow the steps to upload the data to
Bhuvan HFA server using Send Later option. The Wi-Fi facility of Internet modem (like
broadband at home or office) can also be used to connect for internet facility in the
mobile and upload the data. The following steps to store data in send later.
Step-1: The user has to fill all the fields in the Attribute section, and then click on
"Save" icon.
Step-2: A dynamic loader loading for "Data storing for sending later......”This will
save all the information collected.
Step-3: After loading is completed, user will get an alert as "Data saved for sending
later".

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 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

12. Managing your data

The user has provision to edit the saved data, upload the saved data to Bhuvan HFA
server, view the completed houses data, delete the data and visualize the sent
observations.

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12.1 Send Data from Send later
The app provides facility for the user to send the data in Send Later option.
This will list all the data collected and stored in the mobile. The following steps to
sending data in Send Later option.

Step-1: User has to tap on "Send Later" icon in "Manage" option.

Step-2: User has to select the observation data from the list of observations,
which needs to be uploaded and then tap "Send" icon to upload the data to Bhuvan
HFA server.

Step-3: If user clicks on send icon without selecting any observation before
sending, it will show an alert as “Please select an observation for sending.”

Step-4: After selecting the observation click on “Send” icon to send the
observation to Bhuvan HFA server and a dynamic loader loading for "Data
sending...Wait for alert....”

Step 5: The User has to wait for the confirmation message "Geo-tagged
Asset information has been uploaded successfully" on successful upload.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

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 Step 4 Step 5

12.2 Send All Data from Send later

The app provides facility for the user to upload the bulk data to bhuvan
server. The following are steps to upload the bulk data in Send Later option.

Step-1: Tap "Send Later" icon. This will list all the data collected and stored
in the mobile.

Step-2: Click on “Send All” icon to upload the bulk data to bhuvan server.

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 Step 1 Step 2

12.3 Editing of Attributes in Send later option

The app provides facility for the user to edit the data in Send Later option.
Editing is possible only for attribute values. The user cannot edit GPS values,
photographs and the timestamp of the captured observation. The following are
the steps for editing the data saved in send later.

Step-1: Tap "Send Later" icon. This will list all the data collected and stored
in the mobile.

Step-2: Select the observation data that needs to be edited and then tap on
"Edit" icon.

Step-3: If the user clicks on the “Edit” icon without selecting any
observation before editing it will show an alert as “Please select an observation for
editing.”

Step-4: After modifying the data in the attribute section, Click on “Save”
icon to save the observation details in the local storage. After clicking on “Save”
icon it will show an alert as “Data updated successfully.....”

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 4 Step 4

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12.4 Deletion of observation in Send later option
The app provides facility for the user to delete the data in Send Later
option. The data once removed, cannot be retrieved back. The following are the
steps to deletion of observation.

Step-1: Click on the “Send Later” icon.

Step-2: The list of observations will be displayed in the “Upload send later
Data”.

Step-3: Without selecting any observation from the list if user clicks on
Delete icon then user will get an alert as “Please select an observation for deleting.”

Step-4: After selection of an observation, clicks on “Delete” icon and user

will get a confirmation dialog for the observation deletion is permanently not.

Step-5: After clicking on the “OK” button. User will get another alert as
“Details of the observation has been removed”.

Step-6: If the list of observation is empty in the “Send Later” it will show a
label as “No data records found.”

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

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 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

12.5 View Sent observation

The user can visualize the observation which is sent to Bhuvan HFA server.
The following are the steps to view the sent data.

Step-1: Click on “View Sent” icon.

Step-2: The list of observations will be displayed in the “View sent

Datasets”.

Step-3: If user clicks on View icon without selecting any observation from
the list, user will get an alert “Please select an observation for viewing.”

Step-4: After selecting an observation clicks on “View” icon, the user will
see all the details about the sent beneficiary.

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 4

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 12.6 View Completed observation
The user can see the completed Houses information in view completed. The
following are the steps to view the completed Houses data.

Step-1: Click on “View Completed” icon.

Step-2: Select the activity from the drop down. After selecting the activity a
label will be displayed along with select the Beneficiary search bar. The label
shows the count of completed beneficiary records. Select the beneficiary from
search bar.

Step-3: After selecting the beneficiary a new page will open which contains
all the details of completed houses along with two photographs.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

12.7 View Un Sent Data in Sent Failed option

The user can view the observation which is un sent to Bhuvan HFA server.
The following are the steps to view the un sent data.

Step-1: Click on “Sent Failed” icon.

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 Step-2: The list of observations will be displayed in the “View Un Sent
Datasets”.

Step-3: Without selecting any observation from the list, if user clicks on
“View” icon, user will get an alert as “Please select an observation for detail
viewing.”

Step-4: After selecting the observation clicks on “view” icon, user can see
the details of un sent data with photographs and the reason why the data is not
sent to the Bhuvan server.

Step-5: After viewing the details, scroll down the form and click on “Close”
icon.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

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 Step 5

12.8 Move To Send Later in Sent Failed

The user has provision to re-send the failed data to server. For this the user
need to move the observation from sent Failed to Send Later. The following are
the steps to move the observation from sent Failed to Send Later.

Step-1: Click on “Sent Failed” icon.

Step-2: The list of observations will be displayed in the “View Un Sent

Datasets”.

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 Step-3: If user clicks on Move To Send Later without selecting any
observation from the list, user will get an alert as “Please select an observation for
moving to send later option.”

Step-4: After selecting an observation, clicks on “Move To Send Later ” icon

and user will get an alert as “The selected Dataset is moved to Send Later option.”

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

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 Step 4

12.9 Move To Send Later in View Sent

The user has provision to re-send the sent data to server. For this the user need
to move the observation from View Sent to Send Later. The following are the
steps to move the observation from View Sent to Send Later.

Step-1: Click on “View Sent” icon.

Step-2: The list of observations will be displayed in the “View Sent

Datasets”.

Step-3: If user clicks on Move To Send Later without selecting any

observation from the list user will get an alert as “Please select an observation for
moving to send later option.”

Step-4: After selecting the observation, clicks on “Move To Send Later” icon
and user will get an alert as “The selected Dataset is moved to Send Later option.”

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 4

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13. How to know your device UUID?
The details of how a UUID is generated are determined by the device
manufacturer and are specific to the device's platform or model. It is a random 64-
bit as a string and it is generated on the device's first boot.

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14. Software maintenance activity
The software maintenance activity consists of a reset of configuration
information and clear space.

14. 1 Clear Space

If user wants to clear disk storage space like removing all sent attribute
data and removing backup data stored from the configuration settings can follow
below steps.
Step-1: Click on the “Profile” icon in the home page.
Step-2: Click on the “Software Maintenance Activity” icon
Step-3: Click on the “Clear Space” to generate disk space by removing sent
data from mobile.
Step-4: A confirmation dialog is shown as a Caution like “You are
removing all sent attribute data stored in app”, then click on “OK”.
Step-5: After that another alert will be shown “The sent attribute data has
been removed”.
Step-6: Click on "Ok" to reset the software database, provision to re-enter
the user profile and download beneficiary data. The step closes the software and
user has to open the app manually again. To re-enter the profile parameters
follow steps of the earlier session.

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 4 Step 5

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 14.2 Reset the software configuration
In the software maintenance activity if the user wants to re-enter the
profile details or resetting the configuration settings can follow the below steps.

Step-1: Click on Profile icon on the home page of the Bhuvan HFA app.

Step-2: Click on "Software Maintenance Activity" icon.

Step-3: Click on "Reset Configuration" icon.

Step-4: A confirmation dialog shown as a caution like “You are resetting

the configuration settings. You have to re-enter your profile details.” Then click
on “OK” to confirm , Click “Cancel to exit without any changes. If user clicks on
“OK”.

Step-5: After that another alert will be shown “The app configuration
setting is reset, require a restart”.

Step-6: Click on "Ok" to reset the software database, provision to re-enter

the user profile and download beneficiary data. The step closes the software, and
the user has to open the app manually again. To re-enter the profile parameters
follow steps of the earlier session.

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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Step 4 Step 5

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15. Help in the mobile
There is a help page in the mobile app which gives salient features and
privacy policy of Bhuvan mobile app in the HFA app.

Step-1: Click on Help icon in the home page for salient features of the app.

Step-2: Here user can see the information regarding step by step
procedure in HFA app and scroll down user can see the privacy policy of Bhuvan.

Step 1 Step 2

© National Remote Sensing Centre / ISRO - 2020

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