Shillong, Dec 3: The Regional AI Impact Conference, Shillong, organised by the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with the Information Technology & Communications Department, Government of Meghalaya, was inaugurated today at the State Convention Centre.
The event was attended by Meghalaya Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma as Chief Guest, while Union Minister for Railways, Electronics & IT and Information & Broadcasting Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the inaugural session virtually. The conference saw participation from MeitY officials, industry representatives, academia, startups and students from across the region.
In his address, the Chief Minister highlighted Meghalaya’s progress in digital governance and growth of the technology ecosystem, noting the revival of the IT Park in 2018 and the development of upcoming infrastructure. He cited that a key module for the global S/4 HANA ERP migration sector, valued at USD 10 billion, was developed in Shillong by a local engineer, stating that even a ten percent share could generate ₹9,000 crore and thousands of jobs. He also pointed to a 50% reduction in maternal mortality achieved through digital tracking, mapping of over 75,000 springs using AI and drones, and cost optimisation of a water project from nearly ₹100 crore to ₹4.5 crore through data analysis.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned democratising technology and building equitable access to AI resources. He informed that ₹10,300 crore has been allocated over five years to develop an inclusive AI ecosystem, with 38,000 GPUs onboarded under a Common Compute Facility, and more than 3,800 datasets and 250 open-source models made accessible for innovators. He announced plans to train one million people in AI skills and the establishment of 570 Data & AI labs, including centres at NIELIT Shillong, ITI Shillong, Shillong Polytechnic and an upcoming lab at ITI Tura.
Principal Secretary Shri Sampath Kumar emphasized Meghalaya’s strategy for sustainable development using data-driven decision making and highlighted measures to prevent deforestation through predictive modelling, collaborations with global universities and the Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme. Joint Secretary MeitY Shri Sudeep Shrivastava said Meghalaya was chosen to host the first regional summit for its leadership in digital governance and youth-driven innovation potential.
The programme included the launch of several initiatives and MoUs under the IndiaAI Mission including the Bhashini Hackathon for Khasi and Garo languages, Meghalaya Digital Ecosystem Enablement (MeghDEE), the DRISHTI-NE Hackathon, and agreements for establishing a Data & AI Lab and a Satellite Incubation Centre.
