India at forefront of AI-driven governance push: Vice President
New Delhi, April 15
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said that Artificial Intelligence is empowering governments to serve citizens better and had become an enabler for building a Viksit Bharat that is inclusive, efficient and future‑ready.
Radhakrishna described AI as giving governments "a new superpower" at the 5th Dr. Rajendra Prasad Annual Memorial Lecture on the theme "AI for Good Governance" at the 72nd Founders' Day of the Indian Institute of Public Administration here.
India is at the forefront of leveraging AI which strengthens the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, the Vice President said.
Vice President said AI made governance faster, smarter and more transparent, enabling "precise, dignified delivery of services to the last person in the queue, strengthening the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas."
He added that AI ensure targeted welfare delivery and reduced leakages, while acting as a bridge between policy and people, enabling data-driven decision-making, improving public service delivery, and fostering trust between citizens and institutions.
The Vice President noted that AI-powered platforms are overcoming language barriers in a diverse nation like India and expressed pride in the fact that parliamentary papers are now available in multiple Indian languages through AI interfaces. He also highlighted India's national AI-powered language platform, BHASHINI, as a significant step towards inclusive governance and linguistic empowerment.
The Vice President further elaborated on the application of AI across sectors. In healthcare, he noted that AI is playing a transformative role through initiatives such as AI-assisted TB screening, AI-enabled portable X-ray devices, and telemedicine platforms like eSanjeevani, ensuring that distance is no longer a barrier to healthcare access.
He added that similar transformative impacts are being witnessed in agriculture, MSMEs, cybersecurity, judiciary, and administrative systems, emphasizing that just as governance touches every field, AI too is now influencing every sector.
— IANS
Reader Comments
AI in healthcare, especially for TB screening and telemedicine, gives me so much hope. My parents live in a small town, and access to specialists is a real issue. If eSanjeevani can be scaled up reliably, it will be a blessing for millions.
The intent is good, but the execution on the ground is what matters. We hear a lot about 'reducing leakages' in welfare schemes. I hope this AI push is backed by strong data privacy laws and doesn't end up excluding the genuinely needy due to tech glitches.
As someone working in tech, it's impressive to see India positioning itself at the forefront of AI for governance. The scale of the challenge here is immense, and if solutions developed here work, they can be exported globally. The focus on agriculture and MSMEs is particularly smart.
"Precise, dignified delivery to the last person in the queue" – that's the line that stood out for me. So much of government interaction is about long waits and lack of clarity. If AI can make getting a certificate or applying for a subsidy simpler and faster, it will be a huge relief for the common man.
All this sounds great, but what about the digital divide? My didi who works as a domestic helper doesn't even have a smartphone. How will she access these 'AI-enabled services'? The government must ensure the human touch and physical offices don't disappear for those not online.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.