INDORE | FRIDAY | JANUARY 16, 2026 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in M PRESS ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper State govt is establishing AI as cornerstone of citizen-centric governance: CM Dr Yadav adhya Pradesh has taken significant steps toward building a citizen-centric, transparent and efficient governance model powered by artificial intelligence. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav inaugurated the Madhya Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference-2026 in Bhopal on Thursday, announcing a series of major initiatives that position AI at the heart of the state’s administrative reforms and development agenda. Dr Yadav emphasised that AI has emerged as a transformative force for governance, industry and society, and the state is committed to deploying it in mission mode. He said that Madhya Pradesh is progressing in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a developed India@2047, with AI-driven systems set to strengthen welfare delivery across departments. He added that the mining and health sectors offer major opportunities for AI adoption. At the conference, the Chief Minister launched the Madhya Pradesh SpaceTech Policy2026, designed to establish the state as a future-ready hub in India’s expanding space sector. The policy will support startups, MSMEs and industries with financial, infrastructural and research assistance, enabling applications in agriculture, disaster management, water resources and urban planning. Dr Yadav flagged off the AI Literacy Mission’s ‘Kaushal Rath’, a mobile AI computer lab aimed at spreading digital awareness and foundational AI training in rural and semiurban regions, including schools, ITIs, colleges and government departments. He also presided over the signing of seven MoUs focused on innovation, robotics, climate-linked AI research, cloud adoption in governance, digital literacy and the establishment of AI data labs. Thirty such labs will be set up in Madhya Pradesh under the national IndiaAI Mission. Chief Secretary Anurag Jain highlighted that AI is now a key driver of efficiency, accuracy and citizen-focused decision-making. Additional Chief Secretary (Science and Technology) Sanjay Dubey presented the state’s longterm roadmap, anchored in four pillars: infrastructure, data, talent and strategy. The conference also marked the opening of the Madhya The Legacy Of Innovation: A Historical Reflection Major AI Governance, SpaceTech And Literacy Initiatives For Future-Ready State Launched Pradesh Innovation Expo, featuring IndiaAI Pavilion, MP Pavilion and a startup showcase demonstrating applications such as AI-driven crop verification, district performance reporting, precision farming, labour case management and smart policing. The state aims to build an AI-ready and future-focused governance ecosystem that empowers citizens, strengthens public services and accelerates sustainable development. Scan to listen to the Chief Minister's address. Key decisions n Launch of MP SpaceTech Policy-2026 to boost spacebased applications n Flagging off of AI Literacy Mission’s Kaushal Rath for rural AI awareness n Signing of 7 MoUs to strengthen innovation, skills and AI research n Plan to establish 30 AI Data & Analytics Labs across MP n Strengthening governance through AI in welfare schemes, policing and agriculture n Adoption of a long-term AI roadmap built on infrastructure, data, talent and strategy AI-based Governance: MP Leads With Department-Level Innovations B T he Chief Minister recalled the scientific legacy of Jagadish Chandra Bose, whose pioneering discoveries in plant life and wave transmission were not fully recognised during his time. “His breakthroughs formed the basis for future innovations, yet his startup — in today’s language — lacked support and recognition,” Dr Yadav remarked. Today, however, the government aims to ensure that no innovator goes unnoticed. Initiatives launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, including startup policies, innovation missions and digital public infrastructure, are ensuring recognition, funding and guidance for entrepreneurs across the country. With more than 2,200 active startups in Indore alone, Madhya Pradesh is emerging as one of India’s fastestgrowing innovation centres. AI Conference: High-level thematic discussions The AI Conference hosted three thematic sessions covering: 1. Tech-enabled governance for all 2. AI for economic growth and social welfare 3. Resilience, innovation and efficiency through AI infrastructure These sessions brought together experts from governance, IT, agriculture, law enforcement, industry and academia to discuss AI’s role in public services, startups and economic development. eyond youth and startup initiatives, Madhya Pradesh showcased a series of AI-driven reforms across key government departments, proving its commitment to building a technologically robust administrative framework. n Revenue department: AI for crop image verification: The state’s SAARA-DCS app now integrates AI to automatically block poor-quality crop photos uploaded during surveys. This ensures reliable, geo-verified images and enhances accuracy in crop data. The system has been tested on nearly 20 lakh images and will be implemented from Rabi 2025–26, reducing dependence on manual verification and delays. n G RAM G : AI-driven district performance reporting: An automated AI system now generates realtime district performance reports using live data and weighted KPIs. This improves decision-making, transparency and administrative accountability. n Agriculture department: Yield prediction and precision farming: The AGRIGIS system uses satellite imagery, weather data and machine learning to predict yields and monitor crop health. Pilot projects have shown 15– 20% increased production and significant resource savings. Madhya Pradesh M T ment organised workshops in colleges, polytechnics and ITIs across the region. These sessions focused on skill building, industry expectations and interview preparation, ensuring candidates were better equipped for recruitment. Companies agreed to recruit candidates for more than 16,000 positions, while over 3,000 posts were reserved for women. Eight companies participating in the fair extended their hiring to persons with disabilities as well, making the initiative inclusive and socially responsive. Several companies also offered overseas job placements — a first for many participants. The Chief Minister described employment as “a gateway to dignity, identity and new beginnings,” adding that supporting young people in their professional journey strengthens both families and society. Providing opportunities close to their hometowns, is the first state in India where the agriculture department has adopted AI/ML-based systems at this scale. n Labour department: AI for case automation: The Labour Case Management System (LCMS) now uses AI to support case drafting, summaries and hearing documentation — reducing delays and introducing greater transparency in semi-judicial processes. n Police department: Smart policing with AI tools: AI-enabled face recognition, heat-map analytics, the e-Rakshak app, crime investigation chatbots and text-to-SQL tools have strengthened investigations, improved detection of missing persons and en- he said, reduces migration pressures and gives youth a sense of belonging. The employment fair served as a milestone, demonstrating the state’s commitment to decentralised employment generation and localised growth. Chief Minister’s official social media handles hanced overall law-and-order management. n Forest department: Digital governance and smart forest management: GIS-based applications, online forest NOCs and digitalised administrative processes have improved transparency, reduced delays and ensured efficient resource management. n MPSEDC: Catalyst for digital transformation: The Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation Limited continues to lead the state’s digital transformation through cloud services, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity and implementation of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT and analytics. Govt goal is to ensure that youth find opportunities close to home : Dr Yadav M adhya Pradesh witnessed a defining week in its journey towards innovation-led development, youth empowerment and technology-enabled governance. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav addressed a series of major events — including the Youth Sangam Employment Fair-2026 in Rajgarh and the Madhya Pradesh Startup Summit-2026 in Bhopal — stressing that the state’s progress will be built on the aspirations of its young citizens and the strength of emerging enterprises. Speaking virtually from Ravindra Bhavan, Bhopal, to young jobseekers participating in the Rajgarh employment fair, Dr Yadav said the government’s goal is to ensure that youth find opportunities close to home, supported by a workforce ecosystem that matches global standards. He added that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is evolving into a nation that places innovation, technology and entrepreneurship at the centre of its development. MP Startup Summit-2026: A Celebration Of Innovation And Enterprise he 2-day Madhya Pradesh Startup Summit-2026 turned into a vibrant gathering of entrepreneurs, incubators, investors, mentors, industry experts and young innovators at Ravindra Bhavan, Bhopal. The summit showcased the expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem of Madhya Pradesh and reflected the growing confidence of young founders in the state’s supportive policies. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav highlighted that entrepreneurship, innovation and business have always been part of India’s cultural ethos. “From ancient times, we have embraced enterprise and innovation. The youth of Madhya Pradesh are carrying this legacy forward with their ideas and startups,” he said. During the summit, 156 startups received over Rs 2.5 crore in incentive funding, while 21 startups were provided Rs 8.17 crore in loans through the Chief Minister’s Udyam Kranti Yojana. The financial support was transferred in a single click, symbolising transparent and ef- Our digital crop survey project ensures that every farm is physically verified using geo-fencing. This prevents inaccurate crop entries and strengthens the reliability of agricultural data. By verifying every image through multiple channels, we ensure that crop photos serve as solid evidence and improve the overall quality of field-level datasets.” – Brijesh Namdev (Revenue Inspector, Revenue Department) MPSEDC has provided us space and support at this event. We have also received approval to begin work on a borewell-related project, and through such platforms we continue to receive new opportunities in robotics and AI. For a growing company like ours, this ecosystem is extremely encouraging.” – Khushboo Thakkar (Youngovator Education Pvt. Ltd.) Our department has developed several in-house digital systems, including GIS Garuda, which uses satellite and GPS technology to digitally map properties. This benefits citizens who are unable to register their properties themselves. Along with this, the e-Municipality platform now offers 22 citizen-centric services, biometric attendance, fleet management and a chatbot for enhanced public convenience.” – Ajay Kumar Goyal (Assistant Director, Urban Administration – IT) Youth Sangam Employment Fair: Over 16,000 Job Opportunities ore than 150 companies participated in the Rajgarh Youth Sangam Employment Fair, offering roles in finance, IT, healthcare, manufacturing, sales, digital marketing, software engineering and quality management. Representatives from national and international companies attended, providing exposure and opportunities to youth from various districts. To ensure meaningful participation, the state govern- Stakeholders Share Insights Powering MP’s Digital Growth We are showcasing Machine Avatars, a digital human AI chatbot that allows anyone to create their own chatbot within minutes. We have developed 14 chatbots for government schemes, enabling citizens to easily access information on education, health and public services.” – Kunal Tomar (Machine Avatars) The agriculture department believes the next revolution in farming will be technology-driven. Our AI and machine learning systems assess crop conditions, predict yields and ensure transparent crop insurance settlements. Precision farming pilots have increased yields by up to 20 percent, and farmers have even received carbon credits for adopting sustainable practices — a first in India.” – Kamal Jain (Agriculture Department) “Our product, Store Buddy, is an AIbased solution for retail shops. It manages payments, customers and inventory automatically, and is available in Hindi, English and Gujarati.” – Vaibhav Sharma (Ujjain) The Indore Software Association brings IT companies together on one platform to share business opportunities. Events like this connect us with new technology partners and strengthen the overall IT ecosystem of the state.” – Anamika Hira (Chief Relationship Officer, Indore Software Association) Our startup provides AI-powered machine monitoring solutions that detect faults and quality issues before they occur. We have received strong support from the Madhya Pradesh government and MPSEDC, and events like this are immensely beneficial for our growth.” – Pulak Rijhwani (CEO, Opsight AI Pvt. Ltd.) We are launching two robotics products today. The C1 robot can clean 10,000 square feet in an hour with sweeping and mopping capabilities, while the B1 robot is a fully autonomous logistics robot with a 500-kg payload capacity. Receiving appreciation from the Chief Minister is a proud moment for our team.”– Fabit Robotics (Indore) ficient delivery. Long-term MoUs were signed between the MSME Department and major institutions, including the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, Central Bank of India, Karvy Startup Labs and Startup Middle East. These collaborations aim to assist MP-based startups with mentorship, market access, credit sup- port, export expansion and technology adoption. The Chief Minister also released a special booklet featuring successful startups established in Madhya Pradesh and honoured several founders and incubators who have made notable contributions to the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Dr Yadav emphasised that India is now the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with more than 6 crore MSMEs contributing significantly to GDP and exports. “With sustained effort and collective determination, India is on track to become the world’s third-largest — and eventually number one — economy,” he said. We have recently launched AWNI.AI. As a Bhopal-based startup, events like this open new doors, create networks and bring learning opportunities that help us grow.” – Khushi Patel We manufacture drones for both government and private sectors, with strong demand in border regions. The AI Impact Conference has connected us with new clients and provided valuable insights into industry developments.” – Saad (IZI Company) D-16147