Mumbai, 20: The state government has said it will push for faster economic growth through artificial intelligence (AI), e-governance and digital innovation, and make administration more transparent, accountable and citizen-centric. Experts from different fields discussed the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation at a panel titled 'Powering Maharashtra's Economy through AI, E-Governance and Digital Innovation'.
The panel was part of the high-level 'Tech MahaImpact 2026' conference, which covers technology, innovation, digital governance and CSR. Dr Dnyaneshwar Mule, Bhuvaneshwari S, Ajay Prasad Srivastava, Abhishek Lahiri, K. Venkatesham, Avartan Bokil and Bhagwan Patil took part in the first session, on speeding up Maharashtra's economy through AI, e-governance and digital innovation.
Bhuvaneshwari S, Commissioner of the Electronics, Information Technology and AI Department, said the government is not merely digitising documents. It is digitising the entire administrative process and working on Government Process Re-engineering (GPR). Databases of various departments are being linked through API integration, which will make it easier for citizens to access services. She said AI analytics will help the government anticipate problems before they arise and strengthen data-based decision-making.
Dr Dnyaneshwar Mule, founder of the Dr Dnyaneshwar Mule Foundation and a former IFS officer, said an accurate analysis of the problem must come before any technology is used. Citing the simplification of passport services in Delhi, he said technology should aim to make citizens' lives easier. Through CSR 2.0, he said, technology should be used not just to fix systems but for social change and to reach the last citizen.
K. Venkatesham, director of Brihaspati Technologies Limited and a former police officer, said AI would bring big changes in education and healthcare. He said teaching videos and graphics could be created with AI according to students' individual needs.
Ajay Prasad Srivastava, director of STPI Pune, spoke about the use of AI in agriculture and mentioned an app developed for the sugar industry. He said the app uses AI to fix the right time for harvesting sugarcane. This helps reduce losses for farmers and makes it easier to manage crowds at sugar factories.
Abhishek Lahiri, chief of growth business at Iron Mountain India, said transparency, fairness and accountability are important when AI is used in government schemes. He explained that the concept of 'explainable AI' is necessary to build trust in administration.
Avartan Bokil of Iron Mountain India said technology will speed up further in future, and digital transformation must begin in rural areas. He said effective coordination between CSR and technology can bring wide social change.
The panel made clear that the state government and MahaIT are taking concrete steps to use AI effectively in administration. The aim is greater transparency, more efficient service delivery and better 'ease of living' for citizens.