Assam to Implement AI Governance; CM Flags Corruption in Road Construction

Assam will soon implement emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence in governance, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday, as he alleged irregularities in state government departments.

Terming it ‘AI Governance’, Sarma said that AI technologies will be used to keep a watch on all departments to ensure efficiency, accountability and transparency, while ensuring streamlining of projects. Highlighting the problems, he said, “I am aware of ongoing corruption and misappropriation in the construction of roads in the state.”

“Some engineers of the PWD (Public Works Department) are showing higher construction cost estimates. They are showing Rs 6-7 crore estimates for a Rs 2 crore road,” the chief minister pointed out.

“We want to stop all these practices, for which we want to implement AI in governance. When AI is involved in accounting, no one will be able to show excess bills and estimates, bringing down misappropriation,” said Sarma.

Not only the PWD, but AI will also be implemented across all government departments to ensure transparency and accountability, Sarma said. “All government works will be sped up and streamlined through the use of AI,” he added, while directing departmental heads to make proper plans to implement AI in their respective departments.

App For Land, Real Estate Dealings

The Assam chief minister, while speaking further, unveiled plans for launching a mobile application to modernise land and real estate dealings in the state. Sarma said land and property registrations will be done through the app.

He said, “An app for registration of land and property in Assam will be launched soon. This will eliminate the need to visit offices and enable parties to apply from the comfort of their homes,” while directing the chief secretary to ensure the app is launched by 2027. He also instructed that the app should begin real estate registrations initially, while moving to land registrations in later phases, advising the use of AI for this as well.

Notably, Sarma spoke at the launch of Swagat Satirtha Portal 2.0 at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati today. The portal will facilitate mutual transfers of Grade III and Grade IV employees in Assam.