The Maharashtra Government on Tuesday entered into a strategic partnership with Microsoft Corporation (India) to establish cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centres of Excellence (CoE) and accelerate the adoption of AI technology in administration, news agency PTI reported.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
According to PTI, the government in an official release stated that it will establish three state-of-the-art AI Centres of Excellence across Maharashtra.
The Centre for Geospatial Analytics will be set up in Mumbai. Hosted within the Chief Secretary`s office, this centre will provide advanced geospatial analytics capabilities. It will support critical decision-making in governance through satellite imagery analysis, spatial data management, and geographic information system (GIS)-based applications.
According to the official release, a centre for AI collaboration with existing forensic capabilities will come up in Pune where integrating AI capabilities with the existing forensic science infrastructure to enhance criminal investigation processes, forensic data analysis and evidence management will be done, PTI reported.
The Chief Minister`s home constituency, Nagpur, will get the Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enforcement of Reformed Laws (MARVEL). Strengthening AI-driven solutions for government functions, focusing on enforcement, monitoring, vigilance and innovative governance reforms will be its objectives.
The release stated that Microsoft will provide comprehensive training programmes and certifications to government employees through its globally recognised MS Learn platform.
The capacity-building initiative will equip state personnel with advanced AI skills, ensuring sustainable expertise for effective governance and administration, the release informed.
A key component of Microsoft`s strength in AI is its sophisticated Copilot technology, designed to enhance productivity, improve decision-making and streamline operations.
The Maharashtra government will deploy copilot solutions to optimise administrative workflows, automate document summarization, swiftly address citizen queries, and enhance service delivery at the grassroots level, the release stated.
The MoU implementation will see improved efficiency, transparency and speed in public service delivery.
There will be enhanced capability of state employees through advanced AI training and certification. There will be Greater innovation and practical applications of AI technologies across diverse governmental sectors including agriculture, health, cybersecurity, and governance.
“This strategic collaboration underscores Maharashtra`s commitment to positioning itself as a pioneer in digital governance and innovation, setting a benchmark in leveraging technology for citizen-centric service excellence,” the release said.
(With PTI inputs)
