How UP is foraying into AI-based governance
In law enforcement and surveillance, AI has already been deployed in 17 municipal corporations and Gautam Buddh Nagar. These systems include facial recognition, vehicle tracking, CCTV-based alert mechanisms and integration with the state's 112 emergency helpline. In 70 jails, an AI system called Jarvis is being used for 24x7 monitoring of inmates.Agriculture is another focus area. Under the UP Agris project, supported by the World Bank and with a budget of Rs 4,000 crore, around 1 million farmers are being connected to tools like drone-based mapping, pest detection, smart irrigation and online market platforms. The project also involves 10,000 women's self-help groups as key partners.In the revenue and mining departments, AI is being applied to manage land records, reduce disputes and track illegal mining. Technologies such as satellite imaging, RFID tags and AI-enabled weighbridges are being used to monitor resource extraction across 25 districts.In healthcare, the state recently set up India's first AI-based breast cancer screening centre in Fatehpur. A memorandum of understanding with IBM has led to free AI and cloud computing courses being launched in 500 engineering colleges under the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University. AI is also being tested for pharmaceutical research and analytics in public health systems.The state government claims to have positioned AI not just as a technology tool but to drive better governance, citizen engagement and economic opportunity. While many of these efforts are still in early stages or pilot phases, they reflect a broader shift towards tech-based solutions in how the state approaches development.advertisementHow effectively these AI-driven systems work on the ground, and how accessible they remain to people in smaller towns and rural areas will likely determine whether the state's experiment with AI becomes a long-term success.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- Ends
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