In 1998, a young tech startup named Google was launched. Shortly after, in 1999, the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, pioneered e-governance by introducing APSWAN (AP State Wide Area Network). This initiative connected the state capital, Hyderabad, with district headquarters to enhance communication and administration efficiency.
Chandrababu Naidu became renowned for leveraging technology for governance, frequently conducting video conferences with district collectors and senior officials. Now, two and a half decades later, global tech giants Google and its subsidiary YouTube have engaged in a video conference with Naidu to explore strategic collaborations.
On Tuesday, Naidu, serving his fourth term as Chief Minister, virtually interacted with Neal Mohan, Global CEO of YouTube, and Sanjay Gupta, President of the Asia Pacific region at Google. The purpose of the meeting was to initiate a new chapter in the state’s digital journey.
The Andhra Pradesh government is keen on establishing a YouTube academy in the new capital, Amaravati. Both parties expressed interest in this opportunity, and an MoU is anticipated to be signed under the initiative ‘AI for Andhra Pradesh, Powered by Google.’ This partnership aims to implement AI-driven governance and extend AI applications to agriculture, healthcare, sustainability, skill development, AI workforce cultivation, and MSMEs.
“Andhra Pradesh is on a trajectory to become India’s digital epicenter, and we are enthused about the prospects of partnering with global pioneers like Google and YouTube,” stated Naidu during the meeting.
He later tweeted, “…we explored avenues for providing technical support for the Media City initiative in our capital, Amaravati.”
With the Amaravati capital project back on track, the TDP government has accelerated developmental work. The government has commenced jungle clearance efforts, aiming to complete this within 30 days. Reflecting on recent union budget allocations for Amaravati, the government is also exploring urban development models like Navi Mumbai to replicate ideal designs. Various infrastructure projects are set to kickstart, and the government is hopeful for significant investments in the near future.
