Lucknow: Through the sustained efforts of the CM Yogi government, another significant initiative has emerged in the direction of making Uttar Pradesh the country’s leading technology and innovation hub.
An MoU has been exchanged between the India AI Mission, an independent unit of Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, and Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Limited (UPDESCO), Lucknow.
This MoU will prove to be a milestone in strengthening the Artificial Intelligence ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh.
The MoU was exchanged between Principal Secretary, IT and Electronics Department, Anurag Yadav, and Chief Executive Officer of India AI Mission, Abhishek Singh.
Officials and experts present on the occasion described it as a symbol of strong cooperation between the state and central governments.
In line with the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the government has been continuously promoting digital governance, startups, IT parks, data centers and emerging technologies for the past nearly nine years.
Preparing the youth for the future in fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Analytics remains a key priority of the Chief Minister. This is why, under the India AI Mission, the MoU will open new avenues of opportunity for the youth, students and startup ecosystem of the state.
The MoU will create new opportunities for the startup ecosystem, youth and students of Uttar Pradesh. Principal Secretary IT and Electronics Anurag Yadav stated, this initiative under the India AI Mission will play a crucial role in providing future-ready digital and AI skills to the youth of the state.
He clarified that the Yogi government is effectively leveraging advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence to promote skill development, encourage innovation and create new employment opportunities for young people.
This initiative is a strong step towards making the state technologically self-reliant.
UPDESCO Managing Director Neha Jain informed, for the implementation of the India AI Mission project, the IT and Electronics Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, has been designated as the nodal administrative department, while UPDESCO has been appointed as the state nodal agency.
She further stated that under the India AI Mission, there is a plan to establish a total of 65 Data and AI Labs across the state.
At present, two India AI Data and AI Labs are already operational at NIELIT centers in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, while one Data and AI Lab has been established in Pilibhit with the support of an industry partner.
In addition, the Yogi government has already granted approval for the establishment of 49 Data and AI Labs, and the implementation process has commenced. The remaining 13 additional locations will be identified soon.
These India AI Data and AI Labs will be equipped with modern infrastructure and advanced technical resources, specifically designed for AI skilling.
Through these labs, students will receive practical training based on AI tools, datasets and real-time problem statements.
This will enable students not only to acquire skills aligned with industry requirements, but also to develop innovation-driven AI solutions.
