India’s Telangana province plans blockchain, AI city

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Telangana, an Indian state situated in the south of the country, is planning a “blockchain city,” employing about 1,800 people in the field of drone technology and robotics.

D. Sridhar Babu, the Minister for Information Technology in the Telangana state, reportedly said that discussions have begun with industry stakeholders and experts to determine the required space and location for the inauguration of the new campus for ‘Centillion Networks and HC Robotics Private Limited.’

“We are making and implementing plans to make Telangana a No. 1 state in the innovation of new technologies. Steps are being taken to provide employment to the youth of Telangana in these fields by training them in collaboration with Skills University and industries. We will lay the foundation stone of the AI University planned to be built in Future City soon and we will also start a Centre of Excellence in Quantum Computing,” Sridhar Babu said.

The Telangana government has also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with STT Global Data Centres India Pvt Ltd (STT GDC India) to establish an anrtificial intelligence (AI)-ready data center campus. The facility will incorporate advanced technologies and will be designed to have a capacity of up to 100 MW, providing significant scalability for future expansion.

STT GDC India is a market-leading data center services provider offering carrier-neutral colocation services, managing the largest raised floor area and critical IT load in the country, according to the company’s LinkedIn page.

Artificial intelligence plans

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, D. Sridhar Babu told Business Today, “Everybody in the world knows, we are a tech-based state where all the new technologies take shape…the emerging technologies, the cutting-edge technologies, or the bleeding-edge technologies, start from here.”

“When these disruptive technologies take shape, or the cutting-edge technologies take shape, for example, AI, data analytics, quantum computing, comes into picture, we will try to upskill our guys, all the techies to the next level, and see that they are at the forefront of trying to put their skills [to use] and come up with niche products,” Sridhar Babu added.

The Telangana government has announced plans to create an AI City to become a global leader in AI.

The AI City will act as a center for research, development, and the practical application of AI, driving innovation in the field. An AI school will also be established to nurture AI expertise and education.

The Telangana AI Mission, in partnership with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), will support the implementation of the AI framework to ensure responsible use of AI technologies. The government will also collaborate with private sector partners to set up Centres of Excellence, focused on advancing AI in key and emerging industries within the state.

The initiative promotes skill development and talent growth, benefiting over 250,000 students and professionals.

Telangana leads emerging technology adoption

Telangana provincial government has been at the forefront of new technology adoption, using blockchain technology to arrest the unhealthy trend of spurious seeds entering markets and landing farmers in losses.

According to the IT Department’s proposal, information gathered from seed farm inspections must be stored on an immutable blockchain ledger. Inspections will be required at various stages, including pre-pollination, pollination, fruit development, and pre-harvesting, with the data again recorded in blockchain format. Post-harvest inspection results and laboratory test details must also be stored on blockchain.

For certification, the IT Department has suggested generating a QR code upon seed certification, which can be attached to the certified seed, allowing traceability of all production parameters. The certificates will be stored in a secure file system on blockchain, ensuring they are tamper-proof. All relevant details—such as the issuer, timestamp, and inspection data—will be preserved for future reference.

In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek’s coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI.

Watch Alex Ball on the future of tech: AI development and entrepreneurship