Odisha Government Launches AI Capacity-Building Drive for Officials to Boost Public Service Delivery

Bhubaneswar, July 7: In a major step toward digital transformation and enhanced public service delivery, the Odisha Government has launched a four-day workshop titled “AI Champions for Digital Transformation” to build institutional readiness for the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across government departments.

The initiative, organized by the Electronics and Information Technology (E&IT) Department in collaboration with the Wadhwani Foundation, aims to equip government officials with the knowledge and tools required to design and implement scalable AI solutions. The workshop is a part of the broader roadmap under the Odisha AI Mission and aligns with the recently notified Odisha AI Policy 2025.

“This is a critical programme under the broader roadmap of the Odisha AI Mission. It is designed to empower government officials to take a leadership role in advancing the Mission, not only within their respective departments, but also in contributing to the state’s vision of becoming a front-runner in AI,” said Vishal Dev, Secretary, E&IT Department.

The sessions covered core AI concepts including Machine Learning and Generative AI, focusing on their applications in data analysis, content generation, and problem-solving in public governance. Real-life use cases presented at the workshop included an AI tool for pest control management in agriculture, a vision-based solution for road traffic monitoring, and an application to assess nutritional levels in mid-day meals.

The workshop also introduced structured frameworks like DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to guide the officials in defining departmental challenges and developing AI-based Proofs of Concept (PoCs) and pilot solutions.

Participants will now consolidate their learnings by identifying relevant governance challenges in their departments and continue working with the Wadhwani Foundation for further technical evaluation and solution design.

Officials stated that Odisha is actively collaborating with institutions such as IIT Bhubaneswar, BHASHINI, and NASSCOM to strengthen its AI ecosystem. This capacity-building workshop is seen as a foundational step to institutionalize AI-led governance in Odisha and enable the State to become a national leader in AI innovation and ethical adoption of emerging technologies.

Key dignitaries who attended the workshop included Vishal Dev, Secretary, E&IT Department; Vineet Bhardwaj, Executive Director, Centre for Modernizing Government Initiative (CMGI); Manas Ranjan Panda, Special Secretary, E&IT Department; senior officials from various State departments; and representatives from the Wadhwani Foundation and other stakeholders from Odisha’s digital ecosystem.