Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform the state into one of India’s leading hubs for Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital governance, and technology-driven public services. Chairing a high-level review meeting of the Electronics and Information Technology Department at Mahanadi Bhawan in Raipur, the Chief Minister reviewed the progress of AI initiatives, BharatNet Phase-3, mobile network expansion, Seva Setu, e-Pragati PARAS (Project Assessment Review and Analysis System), Centres of Excellence, Data Labs, and other digital innovation projects.
The meeting also focused on skill development, employment generation, startup promotion, and strengthening technology-enabled governance across the state.
CM Vishnu Deo Sai Presents Vision for AI-Powered Governance
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Sai said Chhattisgarh has enormous potential to become a leader in Artificial Intelligence and will work rapidly towards achieving that goal.
He emphasized that AI is not merely a future technology but a powerful tool for:
- Good governance
- Transparency
- Administrative efficiency
- Improved public service delivery
According to the Chief Minister, the state’s AI strategy aims to prepare citizens for emerging technologies, improve business productivity, increase people’s incomes, and provide better government services.
He said AI applications in education, healthcare, agriculture, skill development, and public administration would directly benefit citizens while helping create a secure, reliable, and responsible AI ecosystem.
AI Skill Development to Reach Every Citizen
Officials presented a vision document outlining the government’s objective of making Chhattisgarh one of India’s leading AI-enabled states where every citizen can learn AI in their preferred language.
The strategy focuses on five major pillars:
- AI skill development
- Innovation and startup ecosystem
- Awareness and outreach
- Safe and responsible AI
- AI integration in governance
Under the initiative:
- School students will participate in AI awareness programmes.
- AI and Robotics Clubs will be established in schools.
- AI hackathons will be organized regularly.
- Colleges will introduce AI certification courses.
- Student research projects will receive financial grants.
- AI laboratories will be developed in ITIs.
- Centres of Excellence will be established in universities.
- Government employees will also receive AI training.
AI Startup Ecosystem to Get Major Boost
The government plans to strengthen AI-based innovation by developing:
- Data Labs
- AI Centres of Excellence
- AI startup incubation facilities
- Research projects
- Public datasets
Officials also proposed cloud computing infrastructure, seed funding support, and stronger collaboration between industries and educational institutions to build a modern AI startup ecosystem in the state.
State to Introduce Safe and Responsible AI Policy
A major focus of the review meeting was the creation of a comprehensive AI policy for Chhattisgarh.
The proposed framework will include:
- Data security measures
- Citizen privacy protection
- Regular technology audits
- Compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act
The government also plans to:
- Deploy AI-based decision support systems across departments.
- Appoint AI nodal officers in every department.
- Prepare department-specific AI implementation roadmaps.
- Launch AI pilot projects across government departments.
To make digital services more inclusive, the state will use the Bhashini platform, enabling citizens to access government services in their native languages.
Mobile Network Expansion to Cover Remote Areas
Reviewing telecom infrastructure, officials informed the Chief Minister that nearly 1,000 DBN-funded mobile towers have been installed across Chhattisgarh over the past two-and-a-half years.
Additionally:
- 577 new mobile towers have been approved.
- Land allocation has been completed for 406 towers.
- The remaining 171 land allocation cases are expected to be resolved within one month.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure timely expansion of reliable mobile connectivity and internet services in remote and forest areas.
BharatNet Phase-3 to Connect 4,114 Gram Panchayats
The meeting reviewed the implementation of BharatNet Phase-3, under which 4,114 Gram Panchayats will be connected through a modern ring-topology broadband network.
The project includes:
- IP-MPLS-based integrated network infrastructure
- Expansion of FTTH (Fiber-to-the-Home) connectivity
- High-speed broadband services in rural areas
The initiative aims to significantly improve digital connectivity across villages.
Seva Setu Portal Achieves 94.3% Service Delivery Success Rate
Officials informed the meeting that the Seva Setu Portal currently offers 520 government services across 36 departments, including:
- 111 hosted services
- 409 redirected services
The state operates 16,726 Seva Kendras, enabling citizens to access government services across Chhattisgarh.
Since April 1, 2025:
- More than 39.75 lakh applications have been received.
- Around 37.52 lakh applications have been successfully resolved.
- The portal has achieved a 94.3% success rate.
The platform now includes several advanced digital features such as:
- QR code-based certificate verification
- Aadhaar authentication
- DigiLocker integration
- Treasury and e-Challan systems
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payment integration
These upgrades have improved transparency, efficiency, and service reliability.
AI Centres, Data Labs Planned in Nava Raipur
The review meeting also examined several upcoming digital infrastructure projects planned for Nava Raipur, including:
- Centre of Entrepreneurship
- AI Centre of Excellence
- Data Labs
- Security Operations Centre
- GIS-based monitoring systems
- Digital surveillance infrastructure
Officials said these projects will strengthen the state’s IT and IT-enabled Services (ITES) sector, attract investment, and generate thousands of employment and self-employment opportunities for young people.
Senior Officials Attend Review Meeting
The meeting was attended by:
- Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel
- Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh
- Secretary Rahul Bhagat
- Electronics and Information Technology Secretary Ankit Anand
- Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister Prabhat Malik
- Good Governance & Convergence Department and CHiPS Chief Operating Officer Mayank Agrawal
- Other senior government officials
With a comprehensive roadmap covering Artificial Intelligence, BharatNet, digital governance, telecom infrastructure, startup promotion, and citizen-centric services, the Chhattisgarh government is positioning the state as a technology-driven growth hub. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s vision focuses on leveraging AI for better governance, expanding digital infrastructure to rural areas, enhancing public service delivery, and creating new opportunities for innovation, investment, and employment across the state.
