Governance Community

Seven working groups under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have delivered the inaugural IndiaAI report on October 13. The report was officially presented to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT. He emphasized that this report will serve as India’s guiding roadmap for nurturing its AI ecosystem. The report represents a comprehensive plan for IndiaAI, aligning with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of “India for AI and AI for India” and aiming to be a catalyst for the 1 trillion dollar digital economy. According to MeitY, the government’s approach to AI is comprehensive and ambitious, demonstrated by a wide array of initiatives under the IndiaAI program. IndiaAI follows a mission-centric approach focused on improving the existing AI ecosystem in areas such as computational infrastructure, data, AI funding, research, skill development, and institutional capacity for data to harness AI’s potential for India’s progress. Rajeev Chandrasekhar outlined how IndiaAI is not limited to supporting startups and skill development but also includes key components like the India Datasets Platform, a vast collection of anonymized datasets for Indian researchers. Additionally, the India AI Compute Platform, a public-private partnership, will offer significant GPU capacity to startups and researchers. IndiaAI will also back the development of AI chips in collaboration with the Semicon India program. The report provides details on establishing Centers of Excellence, the institutional framework for data governance, and suggestions for leveraging India’s demographic dividend as an IT powerhouse to enhance AI skills in the country. It also outlines recommendations for the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, which aims to provide financial incentives and infrastructure support to domestic firms, startups, and MSMEs. MeitY’s statement underlines that the goal of this comprehensive study is to identify actionable steps for achieving the vision of “AI for all” across all aspects of IndiaAI.

The Indian government has introduced a web portal aimed at providing valuable statistical information concerning the chemical sector to all interested parties. This portal, accessible at www.charak.chemicals.gov.in, serves as a platform for gathering data on various aspects of the chemical industry, including production, installed capacity, exports, imports, purchases, and sales. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers made this announcement. The web portal, a collaborative effort between the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and the National Informatics Centre, was unveiled at a workshop organized by the industry association FICCI in New Delhi. The Department plans to conduct similar workshops in several cities, such as Vadodara, Vapi, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, and Hyderabad, during October and November. The primary goal of this portal is to enhance the chemical and petrochemical industries by streamlining data collection, promoting efficiency, and granting access to the latest industry innovations and technological advancements. Furthermore, the portal will empower users, researchers, educators, and policymakers to generate quick visual representations and comprehensive reports tailored to the specific requirements of the chemical sector. This initiative will establish a support system for promoting industry best practices, establish an accurate inventory of chemical data, and provide geographical data support to various stakeholders, including policymakers, affiliated industries, researchers, and educators, as stated in the release.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to showcase its digital payment infrastructure during the upcoming G20 summit, with a particular focus on central bank digital currency (CBDC) and public technology platforms. RBI insiders have revealed that the RBI’s exhibition pavilion at the G20 summit will feature five main exhibits, including the Public Tech Platform (PTP) designed to streamline credit processes. Delegates will have access to an interactive experience centre where they can observe the entire digital process, from customer onboarding to the approval and disbursement of Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) and dairy loans in just minutes, transforming rural credit practices. Furthermore, the pavilion will present an informative video detailing the RBI’s digital rupee and its developmental journey. Select banks involved in the pilot program will demonstrate live digital rupee transactions. In addition, the exhibition will spotlight various digital payment initiatives, such as UPI One World, which allows visitors to use UPI for payments even without an Indian bank account, providing them with a firsthand experience of seamless UPI transactions. Another segment, RuPay On-The-Go, will demonstrate how customers can make contactless payments using everyday accessories like watches, rings, or keychains, showcasing the adaptability of domestic card schemes to global standards. Lastly, the RBI will emphasize the versatility of the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) platform, which can integrate with both FinTech firms and traditional financial institutions to facilitate domestic and cross-border payment transactions, according to sources within the RBI.