Latest news with #ETDigitalUPConclave
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
ET Digital UP Conclave: ‘Technology empowering governance, driving industrial growth in UP'
Governance is empowered through digital technology, and the digital push in turn fuels industrial growth, experts said during a panel discussion on 'Digital Uttar Pradesh: Engine for Industrial Growth' during the ET Digital UP Conclave on Friday. Mission director, National Health Mission, UP, and secretary, medical, health and family welfare department, Pinky Jowel said, "Many new things have been introduced in the health sector in last two years. For example, E Kavach is a comprehensive digital health application that has data on all health schemes. It incorporates a registry of every individual in the state." "Every ASHA worker has smartphone and laptop. Similar is the case with ANMs and community health officers. They capture all data related to health systems into E Kavach, which helps us analyse and form policies for future. So, this is a digital revolution that even our lowest field workers can record all immunisation, screening of diabetes and hypertension, and we are adding more health issues to it," she said. "ABHA ID is another innovation incorporated along with E Kavach. It is a kind of smart card with a QR code, and it has the digitised health ID of an individual," she added. "The govt is working on technology-enabled governance, and to ensure this, we must take care of the basic needs of technology user. It should be error-free, transparent, and simple to use. The biggest example of technology-enabled governance is the booking of railway tickets. Earlier, it was tough to get a ticket in offline mode, but now, within seconds, a ticket is booked," said CEO, Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), Mayur Maheshwari. "The power of technology is such that with meaningful interventions, we can make daily lives of common people easy. UPSIDA's digital platform was earlier used by around 800 users, but now around 11,000 people are using it monthly," he added. "In UP, 98% of industries are MSMEs, and the number is huge. This sector has less automation and a huge number of employees. In industrial areas, all land approval, bank loans, and incentive disbursement are online," said secretary, MSME and Export Promotion and Infrastructure & Industrial Development Department, Pranjal Yadav. He said the govt's focus was to make interactions online to make things easy for artisans and craftsmen. "We have come up with an Alexa kind of device, with sticky films that capture pathogens. It hovers over farms and detects pathogens, which is otherwise a challenging task in agriculture sector," said national sales head, ABM Knowledgeware Ltd, Lokesh Sharma. The session was moderated by managing director, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Nikhil Agarwal. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ET Digital UP Conclave: Powered by AI & IT, Uttar Pradesh is emerging as digital first state, says Brajesh Pathak
1 2 Lucknow: Highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday said that AI is not something to be feared but a tool to be harnessed for maximum productivity. Speaking as the guest of honour in the second edition of the ET Digital UP Conclave on the theme, 'Towards a Digital Future: Empowering Governance through Technology', Pathak outlined how Uttar Pradesh is transforming into a digital-first state, powered by artificial intelligence, information technology and governance technologies. The conclave brought together policymakers, technocrats, and industry leaders to chart the state's next digital leap. Recalling India's journey from manual typewriters to AI-driven systems, Pathak remarked, "Earlier, we used typewriters to create documents, today, a single keystroke delivers the benefits of govt schemes to crores of citizens." "It is not just a technological upgrade, but a revolution in governance," he said. Highlighting the impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) scheme, he said: "What used to be lost to middlemen now reaches the last person instantly and transparently." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ialta: Scholarships You Can Apply For (Start Now) College Scholarship | Google Search Search Now Undo Addressing concerns over AI, Pathak asserted, "AI isn't here to steal jobs but to enhance our capabilities. It processes and delivers information across sectors — from ancient Vedic texts to modern medical research." He urged students, researchers, and administrators to embrace AI as a tool for productivity and discovery. "You can now ask AI where the earliest mention of fire is in the Rig Veda or which therapy shows the most promise in dementia research — all within seconds. This is the technology we must use to build a stronger future," he said. Pathak emphasized that UP, once seen as an underdeveloped state, was emerging as an IT and innovation hub. He said that software worth over Rs 75,000 crore was exported annually from the state, employing over 3.55 lakh people in the IT sector. "UP is not just competing with Bengaluru and Hyderabad, we're setting global benchmarks," he said. He credited improved law and order for enabling technological growth and investments. "There was a time when people from UP were denied rentals in Mumbai or Delhi. Today, global tech companies are calling UP home," Pathak said. Stressing digital responsibility, he said, "Our youth must go beyond scrolling social media — they should use it to learn, research, and contribute to nation-building." He called upon educators to equip students with skills in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data ethics. The deputy chief minister thanked The Times of India and The Economic Times for organising the event and urged all stakeholders — govt departments, private companies, and civil society — to join hands in building a digitally empowered UP, where technology serves the people, not the other way around. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ET Digital UP Conclave: Educational institutes must consult experts to prepare curricula to suit market needs
1 2 To make college students job-ready, colleges must regularly consult industry experts and design curricula to match market needs. In a panel discussion titled 'Skilling UP – Building a Future-Ready Workforce' in the second edition of the ET Digital UP Conclave on Friday, experts highlighted the stark employability gap. The discussion set the stage for a crucial national conversation on what kind of skills will truly prepare our youth for the future. Principal secretary, labour & employment, MK Shanmuga Sundaram focused on the disconnect between education and industry. "Almost half of college graduates are not job-ready. Colleges should regularly consult industry experts and make necessary changes in the curricula to cater to market needs. Educational institutions must become active feeders into the industrial ecosystem," he said. "Curricula must evolve. Institutions must prepare students to work with AI tools while building real-world problem-solving abilities," Sundaram said. Secretary, irrigation and water resources, GS Naveen Kumar said, "AI can replace consultants but not plumbers." Kumar explained how AI was being used in governance to flag inefficiencies and track progress in minutes — tasks that once took consultants weeks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo He, however, warned that AI was not foolproof as it could "hallucinate or produce inaccurate results". "The real power of AI lies in using it wisely — alongside human expertise, not instead of it," he said. He likened the current shift to earlier digital transitions —from SMS to WhatsApp — and called for a similar leap in vocational education. Principal secretary, vocational education and skill development, Hari Om said that skilling should be rooted in Uttar Pradesh's economic realities, where many still rely on agriculture. " The state upgraded over 200 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), adding courses in electric vehicle repair, robotics, CNC machining, and laser cutting, while continuing to teach essential trades like plumbing and electrical work. We are not just building workers, we are nurturing entrepreneurs," he said, underscoring the importance of self-reliant, skill-based livelihoods in competitive job market. India launched Glance AI, an AI-native commerce platform by InMobi, marking a major step in tech leadership. Announced at the ET Digital UP Conclave, Global SVP, chief corporate affairs & public policy officer at InMobi, Subi Chaturvedi said it was a turning point for Indian innovation. Designed to personalise shopping with cultural and AI intelligence, Glance AI reflects India's shift from tech user to global creator. "The state is playing a key role in driving digital revolution. With Glance AI, India isn't waiting for future but building it," Chaturvedi said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UP to fuel $1 trn journey with digi revolution in governance
1 2 3 4 Lucknow: In a dynamic push to position Uttar Pradesh as the country's next digital powerhouse, the department of IT and Electronics, in association with ET Government, will hold the second edition of the ET Digital UP Conclave on Friday. As part of this, Union minister of state for commerce and Industry and IT and Electronics Jitin Prasada and deputy chief minister UP Brajesh Pathak will come together to brainstorm with sectoral experts and stakeholders on using modern technologies to strengthen governance and secure the state in the realm of the digital future. UP's industries and infrastructure development minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi will also address the conclave. Themed as 'Towards a Digital Future: Empowering Governance through Technology', the conclave is expected to attract over 250 thought leaders from govt, industry, and academia. What makes it significant are two recent developments that underline the state's growing digital ambitions. First, UP rolled out AI Pragya – a unique initiative to train over ten lakh citizens in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Second, the Union Cabinet approved a Rs 3,706 crore investment by HCL Group and Foxconn (Hon Hai Technology Group) to establish an OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) facility in the YEIDA region near the upcoming Jewar Airport. The two milestones are seen as enablers towards the state's larger goal to become a one trillion-dollar economy. In this backdrop, the conclave will see experts dwelling on how digital tools and new-age technologies can reshape governance, boost transparency, and public service delivery while accelerating economic development in the state. The day will see key govt officials and technology leaders, including Alok Kumar, principal secretary planning; Anurag Yadav, principal secretary, IT & Electronics; Dr Hari Om, principal secretary, vocational education & skill development; Dr MKS Sundaram, principal secretary, labour & employment; Dr Pinky Jowel, MD, NHM, UP; Mayur Maheshwari, CEO UPSIDA; Pranjal Yadav, secretary, MSME & export promotion; GS Naveen Kumar, secretary, irrigation and water resources; Neha Jain, special secretary, IT and Electronics and MD of UPDESCO; and Dr Subi Chaturvedi, global senior vice president, InMobi Group.
