- 5 Centers of Excellence to be Established Across Divisions, Including Raipur; 1.5 Lakh Government Employees to Undergo Training
A high-level meeting of the first Steering Committee of the Chhattisgarh AI (Artificial Intelligence) Mission was held today at Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhawan, chaired by Chief Secretary Shri Vikas Sheel. The primary objective of the meeting was to accelerate the roadmap for AI-driven technological development, good governance, and the empowerment of citizens within the state.
- Establishment of Data Labs and Centers of Excellence
To foster data and technical research in the state, 20 AI Data Labs will be established in the first year. Additionally, 5 Centers of Excellence will be set up across the Raipur, Durg, Surguja, Bilaspur, and Bastar divisions. In Raipur, the operations of these centers are being advanced in collaboration with NIT (National Institute of Technology) and IIIT (International Institute of Information Technology) Naya Raipur.
- Training for Employees and Officials
Approximately 1.5 lakh government employees will be trained to facilitate the use of AI in administrative functions and to promote good governance. In the first phase, 15,000 government personnel will receive specialized training through prestigious institutions such as IIIT, NIT, and IIM (Indian Institute of Management).
- Specialized Curricula for Youth and Students
AI-focused training curricula and digital content will be developed for school students, as well as for those in higher education and technical institutions. The goal for the first year is to provide cutting-edge technical training to thousands of young people.
- Promoting Research and Fellowships
Proposals to introduce grants, academic chairs, and fellowships for various research projects—in collaboration with the state’s academic institutions—have also been incorporated, which will strengthen technological innovation. The Chief Secretary instructed officials from the Information Technology Department to coordinate with various other departments and formulate an action plan for Artificial Intelligence (AI) tailored to their specific requirements. The successful implementation of this mission will enable Chhattisgarh to emerge as one of the leading states in the country in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Mr. Sonmoni Bora, Principal Secretary of the Urban Administration and Development Department; Mr. Rahul Bhagat, Secretary of the Good Governance and Convergence Department; Dr. Kamalpreet Singh, Secretary of the School Education Department; Dr. Rohit Yadav, Secretary of the Finance and Public Relations Department; Mr. Ankit Anand, Secretary of the Information Technology and Housing & Environment Departments; Mr. Rajat Kumar, Secretary of the Commerce and Industries Department; Mr. Basavaraju S., Secretary of the Skill Development and Technical Education Department; Mr. Amit Kataria, Secretary of the Public Health and Family Welfare Department; and Mrs. Shammi Abidi, Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.