How UP is foraying into AI-based governance

India Today

28-07-2025

The Uttar Pradesh government is making an ambitious push to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) across sectors ranging from governance, education and policing to healthcare and agriculture. In recent months, it has launched a series of initiatives that, if carried out as planned, could turn India's most populous state into a key hub of AI innovation and application.One of the most high-profile efforts is the plan to develop Lucknow as the country's first 'AI City'. Under the central government's IndiaAI Mission, a tech ecosystem worth Rs 10,732 crore is being set up in the capital, featuring an AI innovation centre, over 10,000 GPUs and language models designed to work in multiple Indian languages. The state government claims this will be the largest technology infrastructure of its kind in the country.advertisementThe state is also working on a draft AI policy, aligned with the Centre's Vision 2047 plan, and has trained officials from over 30 departments in the use of AI tools. In welfare delivery, AI is being used to flag irregularities in the direct benefit transfer (DBT) system and improve detection of fraud.Another major initiative is 'AI Pragya', which aims to train over 1 million people, including youth, teachers, gram pradhans, government staff and farmers, in AI and related technologies. The training programmes, run in partnership with Microsoft, Google, Intel and Guvi, focus on practical skills such as machine learning, cyber-security and data analytics, with industry certifications built in. The government says it is targeting 150,000 trainees per month.
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