Unlocking rural economy will make India a global leader: NITI Aayog

‘Futuristic technologies like 5G, AI and Robotics will help realise the country’s dream of becoming a world leader at a much faster pace,’ he says

March 15, 2022 10:11 am | Updated 10:12 am IST - Bengaluru

Vice-Chairman of Niti Aayog Rajiv Kumar says support to innovative startups is  solving the critical problem of bringing connectivity to rural areas. File

Vice-Chairman of Niti Aayog Rajiv Kumar says support to innovative startups is solving the critical problem of bringing connectivity to rural areas. File | Photo Credit: T. Vijaya Kumar

India has the potential to become a world leader by unlocking the full potential of its rural economy, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said .

“Futuristic technologies like 5G, AI and Robotics will help realise the country’s dream of becoming a world leader at a much faster pace,’‘ he said while virtually speaking at ARTPARK Innovation Summit 2022 organised by AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK), a city-based not-for-profit foundation, promoted by IISc and supported by AI Foundry on Monday.

“We are already working with ARTPARK under our NITI Atal Innovation Mission and supporting innovative startups which are solving the critical problem of bringing connectivity to rural areas and enabling inclusive healthcare and education,’‘ Mr. Kumar added.

Earlier inaugurating the one-day summit, C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Karnataka Minister for Information Technology, Biotechnology, Science and Technology and Higher Education, said the ARTPARK initiative would help the country’s youth outside urban India not only to access the next generation digital opportunities but also acquire the skills they needed to thrive in an AI-driven future.

“How do we take the fruits of AI & Robotics technology to Bharat to create the next wave of jobs after the IT & BPO wave is a critical question,’‘ said the Minister.

S. Chandrasekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said, “Digital and physical connectivity innovations are critical to India’s growth and Atmanirbhar vision. By bringing together industry, academia, and government in an open innovation network, NM-ICPS mission by the Department of Science and Technology is attempting a novel way to fast track innovations critical and strategic to the future prosperity of India.”

Prof. Rangarajan, Director, IISc, Chair BOD ARTPARK, said, ARTPARK was created to use technology, specifically AI & Robotics, for the betterment of the country.

“I am delighted to see that we are trying to use technology to connect the unconnected in diverse areas like education and healthcare. IISc is at the forefront of research in frontier technologies like 5G and UAVs and ARTPARK is using that expertise to create a better India for tomorrow,’‘ he added.

Commenting on the possible impact of innovation on the economy, Umakant Soni, CEO, ARTPARK said, “At ARTPARK, we are harnessing the power of AI and Robotics to reshape every sphere of human endeavour: especially next-generation mobility, education, employment, and the creation of smart, sustainable villages.”

According to PwC Research, globally, AI-driven innovations have the potential to create economic value to the tune of $15.7 trillion.

An ARTPARK Innovation Lab was also inaugurated at IISc Campus. The Lab would be used by innovators to develop critical pieces of technology which are needed to power Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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