BENGALURU: As blockchain -- the technology behind cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin -- is fast gaining acceptance worldwide, the Karnataka Government has taken the first step to see if it can be used in some critical areas of governance in the State.“There are problems that could be better solved using modern tools and technologies. We want to understand the blockchain technology itself, and see how we can use it to solve specific issues,” Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge told ET.Towards this, Karnataka’s Information Technology department is organising a blockchain hackathon from January 19 to January 21 to see if participants can create demonstrable prototypes of the use of blockchain in government applications.This is a ‘residential’ hackathon: it will last 48 hours (Friday to Sunday), and participants cannot leave the venue for the duration. The government will provide all facilities including food at the venue.The hackathon will be open to students, startups, and other IT professionals while cloud-based blockchain technology providers will be invited to provide platforms for use in the hackathon.“This is not like a random hackathon which will take us nowhere. We are looking at specific problems in a few identified departments, and if the government finds a solution feasible, then we will pay for evolving the complete solution and see it is ,” Kharge said. He also added that Karnataka is also the first state to take note of the emerging trends in the global technological landscape and attempt an initiative like this.The IT department has designed the hackathon as a team event. A team will comprise 3-5 individuals, who will work on individual problem statements provided by the different government departments. Each team will have to submit a brief statement of the problem they are attempting to solve with blockchain. Teams will need to go to http://www.bengalurutechsummit.com/blockchain-hackathon/ to register for the hackathon.Government officials, industry experts, and the government’s Knowledge Partners, will act as mentors during the hackathon, and provide information, resources, and support for teams, and monitor the hackathon process.A panel of judges will judge the entries. A total of 10 teams will be awarded: 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, 3 third prizes, and 4 fourth places. Each team will have to submit its entry in the form of a video. The winners will present their solution at a special Blockchain summit on Feb 15, where their use may be expanded further.The government, the IT Minister said, will hear the views of experts, participating team, academics, and may even come up with a policy on blockchain technology, and a set of guiding principles and framework for use in e-governance scenarios