WhatsApp-based platform planned to make services more accessible
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced a series of digital initiatives aimed at strengthening governance, cyber security and service delivery in Jammu and Kashmir, including the sanctioning of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an outlay of Rs 20 crore over four years.
Presenting his second Budget as Finance Minister of the Union Territory, the Chief Minister said the Centre of Excellence in AI will drive research and practical applications in education, governance and the regional startup ecosystem.
He said the initiative is expected to position Jammu and Kashmir as an emerging hub for innovation while supporting the broader vision of Digital J&K.
The Chief Minister said training programmes in Artificial Intelligence, cyber security, blockchain and e-governance are also being scaled up across the Union Territory to build a future-ready talent pool.
He added that the Chief Minister’s IT Internship Programme will also be further strengthened to equip young professionals with industry-relevant skills and enhance employability in the technology sector.
To improve access to digital services at the grassroots level, he said, the Government has conceptualised a Digital Village Centre initiative.
“The programme aims to provide citizens with easier access to online services and digital skilling opportunities, particularly in rural and remote areas,” he said.
Highlighting the focus on cyber security, the Chief Minister said safeguarding critical infrastructure and digital assets remains a high priority for the Government.
In this regard, he said, 14 Cyber Crisis Management Plans of different departments have already been approved by CERT-In.
The Chief Minister added that over 200 departmental websites and applications have been secured, while endpoint protection has been strengthened through the deployment of 5,100 Endpoint Detection and Response and Unified Endpoint Management systems.
The Chief Minister further said the Government has launched a Digital Literacy and Cyber Hygiene Initiative to promote safe online practices among citizens and Government employees.
A Mini Security Operations Centre is also being established to ensure continuous cyber surveillance and faster response to cyber incidents, he said.
He said the Government is also planning to establish state-of-the-art IT and IT-enabled Services parks in Jammu and Srinagar to attract investment, generate employment and create a robust technology ecosystem.
The initiative, he added, places strong emphasis on collaboration between government, industry and academic institutions.
Meanwhile, to make government services more accessible and citizen-friendly, the Chief Minister announced that a centralized WhatsApp-based service delivery platform will be introduced.
Through secure and multilingual chatbots, citizens will also be able to access 100 to 150 high-volume services across 15 departments, significantly simplifying interaction with the administration, he added.
