The Turkish city of Konya is planning to develop cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions for public services.

One of the country’s principal cultural centres, Konya has established its own "Science and Technology Valley," under the umbrella of Konya Science Centre, and set up a team to apply blockchain to municipal services.

As announced by Konya Metropolitan Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay last week, the Turkish city is looking into developing a so-called “City Coin” and create a blockchain-based financial ecosystem around it.

Speaking to Dr. Ali Osman Çıbıkdiken, head of Konya Science and Technology Valley, Coin Telegraph reports that in regard to the progress of the “City Coin” project, the first step was "to look for ways to use blockchain technology for funding social programs."

The project will enable the reserve fund for social aid to be managed by local government and other stakeholders using blockchain. A prototype is forecast to be ready within six months and go live within 12 months. 

Çıbıkdiken stated: "The cryptocurrency we are currently developing will be used in social aid programs, municipal corporations' activities, public transport, and environmental services. This blockchain-based local ecosystem will serve the Konya citizens. The project will also see the development of a payment system to enable crypto in many municipal services."

Following the announcement of a blockchain infrastructure in Turkey, the country has stepped up its blockchain efforts. The country announced plans for a Digital Lira this year and Turkish Takasbank introduced the BiGa Digital Gold platform to provide a gold transfer system for the banking industry utilising blockchain.

Furthermore, Coin Telegraph previously reported BlockchainIST Center, a university-funded centre in Istanbul, recently unveiled plans to develop blockchain projects on Cornell Professor Emin Gün Sirer's Ava Platform.