Growth is inclusive when tech is connected with compassion

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that when technology is connected with compassion and the government is based on trust, then the development is inclusive, and the future is secured.

Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh AI and Health Innovation Conference held in Lucknow, Adityanath said, “AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a facility for us, it will become an assistance for us, it will make our work easier, and give a new height to our approach.” However, it is to be kept in mind that any technology should be operated by humans. Humans should not be operated by it, he added.

“When technology gets connected with ‘samvedna’ (compassion), when the policies are operated with ‘navaachaar’ (innovation) and when the government is based on trust, then the development is inclusive, and the future is secured,” Adityanath said.

He also said that the Rs 2,000 crore UP AIM (AI Mission), will be taken forward in a phased-manner in the next three years.

He announced that under the UP AI Mission, Uttar Pradesh will be developed as a national leader in the use of AI in healthcare services.

“Over the past 11 years, we have witnessed this transformation taking shape on the ground in a changing India. I remember eight years ago, when we formed the government in 2017, the most frequent complaints we received from the public were about not receiving their rations.

“The Public Distribution System was the target of the most criticism in every village, every district, and at every level, and we too were uncertain about what the future held,” Adityanath said.

He added that subsequently raids were conducted on 80,000 fair price shops as part of a planned operation.

“We recovered 30 lakh fake ration cards. And these 30 lakh ration cards belonged to the poor and deprived people who were complaining. But rations were being issued in the names of these 30 lakh people, and that ration was later being sold on the black market,” he said.

He added that e-POS machines were installed in 80,000 shops. “We monitor them from the state level through digital screens. Today, the number of complaints is zero. Absolutely zero complaints.

“This is how technology can bring about change, in personal lives, in earning the trust of the government, and in implementing the government’s vision on the ground. This is one example. We have seen many such examples taking shape on the ground over the past 11 years,” the CM said.

Addressing the inauguration of a two-day conference, Adityanath said that AI is emerging as a powerful instrument to transform governance from a reactive approach to a proactive one. He also highlighted that AI can significantly enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of health policies.