Patna: In a landmark move to bridge Bihar’s rich historical heritage with modern technology, the Revenue and Land Reforms Department of Bihar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. This agreement focuses on transliterating old records written in the Kaithi script into Devanagari script using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, making these valuable historical documents accessible to the general public.
The MoU was signed by Amitabh Nag, CEO of Digital India Bhashini Division, and Jai Singh, Secretary of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department.
Read Also: Bihar: Bapu Tower in Patna Becomes a New Landmark of Gandhian Legacy and Tourism
Chief Secretary Calls It a “Commendable Beginning” for Bihar’s Departments
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony held at the Chief Secretariat auditorium, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena lauded the initiative as a significant step forward. He acknowledged the leadership of Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department for envisioning this project to address longstanding departmental challenges related to deciphering Kaithi script documents.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that this technology-driven approach will benefit not only the Revenue Department but also Education, Social Welfare, and Tourism departments, among others. “This collaboration with Bhashini will enable many departments to find technical solutions for administrative and archival challenges,” he stated.
He also underlined the importance of converting Pali script documents into Hindi and English and called for launching a Bihar-specific hackathon to encourage innovative tech solutions.
AI to Help Decipher Difficult Kaithi Script for Land Records and More
Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh explained the immediate practical benefits of the initiative. Many cadastral and revision survey records, crucial for the ongoing special survey process, are written in Kaithi script — a script known for its complexity and difficulty in reading. Currently, departments often rely on retired experts to interpret these documents, but this AI-based transliteration will reduce dependence on limited human expertise and build capacity within the departments.
Digital India Bhashini CEO Highlights Language Inclusion and Accessibility
Amitabh Nag, CEO of Digital India Bhashini Division, highlighted that the initiative is part of a broader mission to ensure language does not become a barrier to knowledge and governance. “Everyone should be able to read, write, and communicate in their own language. This effort not only safeguards Bihar’s historical knowledge but also makes it accessible through cutting-edge technology,” Nag said, praising Bihar’s leadership and foresight.
Workshop on Language Technology Integration Held After MoU Signing
Following the formal program, the DIBD organized a Rajyam workshop at the Revenue Survey Training Institute. This workshop was attended by technical experts, senior officials, and personnel from various state departments. Discussions focused on knowledge sharing, capacity building, and planning to integrate Bhashini’s language technology framework into Bihar’s administrative functions.
Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh reiterated the potential for departments beyond Revenue and Land Reforms to leverage this technology to enhance public service delivery. He also stressed the importance of digitizing Pali language documents into Hindi to further enrich archival access.
Senior Officials Participate in Knowledge Sharing Event
The workshop featured participation from several high-ranking officials including:
- Jai Singh, Secretary of Revenue and Land Reforms Department
- Parasnath, Additional Director General of Police, CID
- J. Priyadarshini, Director of Land Records and Survey
- Arun Kumar Singh, Special Secretary
- Amitabh Nag, CEO, Digital India Bhashini Division
Together, these officers engaged in collaborative discussions aimed at institutionalizing language technology solutions across Bihar’s governance framework.
