India’s dual framework on AI combining national strategy for inclusive growth with robust governance architecture, is particularly suitable for rural and socially sensitive contexts.
How AI helps in Inclusive Rural Development?
- Detecting Underserved Villages: By analysing healthcare, education, and sanitation deficits using Mission Antyodaya data.
- Predictive Future Planning: Forecasts future development needs based on population growth and economic activity.
- Fulfilling Infrastructure Needs: Identifies villages lacking proper roads using Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), etc.
Key Initiatives Promoting AI for Inclusive Rural Development
- Decentralised Rural e-governance: Through tools like SabhaSaar, AI-enabled tool that generates minutes of Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings, digital platforms like eGram Swaraj and Gram Manchitra, etc.
- Infrastructure Monitoring: BhuPRAHARI platform for monitoring assets created; Digital Shram Setu Mission dealing with informal sector.
- Sectoral Analysis:
- Agriculture and Food Security: Kisan e-Mitra, a virtual assistant providing information on government schemes; National Pest Surveillance System, Crop Health Monitoring, Precision Faming, etc.
- Education: NCERT’s DIKSHA platform; Youth for Unnati and Vikas with AI (YUVAI) for building foundational socio-technical/AI skills among grades 8-12.
- Healthcare: State-led AI innovations like Madhya Pradesh’s Suman Sakhi WhatsApp Chatbot for rural women, delivers maternal/newborn health information, etc.
- Societal Benefits through Multilingual Governance:
- BHASHINI: AI-enabled language platform offering translation, speech-to-text, and voice-based interfaces across more than 36 Indian languages.
- BharatGen: India’s first government-funded, sovereign, multilingual, and multimodal Large Language Model.
- Adi Vaani: Addressing communication barriers faced by tribal communities.
