UP Govt Pushes AI Mission With ₹225 Crore Budget And AI City Project

Lucknow: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as one of the country’s largest hubs for technology and AI innovation. In line with this vision, more than 50 IAS officers and senior administrators from across India participated in the ‘AI Transformation Conclave 2026’ held in Lucknow on Friday.

During the conclave, a high-level capacity-building workshop on the theme 'The AI-Powered Public Administrator: Competencies for a New Era of Governance' was conducted by Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, founder of NIHIT and Sherpa of Working Group-7 of the India-US CEO Forum.

Dr. Subi Chaturvedi said, "Uttar Pradesh, especially Lucknow, is emerging as the most suitable center for AI innovation in India. Earlier known for its culture and heritage, the city is now building a new identity as a hub of innovation under the current government’s leadership."

She added, "With companies like InMobi launching deep-tech operations in the state, a new ecosystem of governance, research, talent, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurship is taking shape in Uttar Pradesh."

The conclave also featured extensive discussions on the Uttar Pradesh government’s ambitious AI policy and technology vision.

Recently, the country’s first AI City was approved in Lucknow’s Vrindavan Yojana at a cost of ₹368 crore, while a special budget allocation of ₹225 crore has been made for the UP AI Mission.

On this occasion, Manoj Kumar Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the State Transformation Commission, stated that Uttar Pradesh is moving towards becoming a national model for AI transformation in government functioning, which will further accelerate the state’s goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy.

Principal Secretary of the IT and Electronics Department, Alok Kumar, said, "The government is fully committed to building robust infrastructure for emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and deep-tech innovations."

Special provisions for the UP AI Mission, AI City, and other emerging technologies have been included in the recent budget.

The conclave also witnessed detailed discussions on the role of AI in the AI ecosystem, cybersecurity, digital governance, MSMEs, startups, and citizen-centric services.

Referring to the 'MANAV' framework presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Chaturvedi emphasized ethical, accountable, accessible, and human-centric AI. She said, "Inclusive growth and a trustworthy technological future can only be achieved through safe and human-friendly AI."

The NIHIT platform is an important initiative operating under the India-US CEO Forum, supported by InMobi, Mastercard, and Tata Sons. It functions as a knowledge-sharing platform aimed at strengthening innovation, startups, MSMEs, cybersecurity, and global supply chains between India and the United States.