Shivraj Singh Chouhan urges states to use AI for rural scheme delivery
Synopsis
At a 29-state rural development conference in New Delhi, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled a ₹95,682 crore scheme launching 1 July, new AI monitoring mandates for states, and a ₹10 lakh crore bank-linkage roadmap aimed at doubling Lakhpati Didis to 6 crore — the Centre's most concentrated rural governance push in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan urged 29 states and Union Territories to adopt AI-based monitoring for rural welfare schemes at the 'Gramodaya Se Rashtroudaya' conference in New Delhi .
The 'Viksit Bharat–G RAM G' programme will launch nationwide from 1 July , with an interim approval of ₹95,682 crore already granted.
The 'Lakhpati Didi Dashboard' and 'SHE LEAPS' digital platform were launched for women in self-help groups.
The government targets doubling Lakhpati Didis from 3 crore to 6 crore , backed by a ₹10 lakh crore bank-linkage roadmap over five years.
UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma were among the participants.
Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday called on states to deploy artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve transparency, strengthen monitoring, and ensure more effective delivery of rural welfare schemes. His remarks came on the second day of the two-day national rural development conference, 'Gramodaya Se Rashtroudaya', held in New Delhi.
Key Developments at the Conference
Addressing rural development ministers, senior officials, and policymakers from 29 states and Union Territories — one of the largest such gatherings in the sector — Chouhan said technology-driven governance would be central to realising the vision of a developed rural India. He urged states to strengthen AI-based monitoring mechanisms and ramp up public awareness campaigns to maximise the impact of existing schemes.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma were among the prominent participants.
New Scheme and Interim Funding
Chouhan announced that the 'Viksit Bharat–G RAM G' programme will be rolled out nationwide from 1 July. An interim approval of ₹95,682 crore has already been granted for the scheme. States have been directed to complete the required formalities to ensure smooth implementation from the launch date.
Women's Empowerment Push
Highlighting the Centre's focus on women in rural areas, Chouhan launched two new digital initiatives: the 'Lakhpati Didi Dashboard' and the 'SHE LEAPS' platform, both designed to support women affiliated with self-help groups (SHGs). The government aims to double the number of Lakhpati Didis from 3 crore to 6 crore and has prepared a bank-linkage roadmap worth ₹10 lakh crore over the next five years.
What the Minister Said
'Villages are not merely about dust, soil, or the chaupal; rather, villages represent the strength, consciousness and soul of India,' Chouhan said. He added: 'If we are to build a prosperous and developed India, we cannot succeed without making our villages prosperous and developed; the nation's progress is impossible without the progress of its villages.'
What Comes Next
With the Viksit Bharat–G RAM G scheme set to launch on 1 July and the new digital platforms for SHG women already live, the Centre's near-term focus will be on state-level compliance and ensuring that AI monitoring tools are operationalised at the district level. The scale of the bank-linkage roadmap — ₹10 lakh crore over five years — signals an ambitious push to bring rural women into the formal financial system.
Point of View
But the track record of technology mandates handed to states without implementation budgets or capacity-building support is patchy at best. The ₹95,682 crore interim approval for Viksit Bharat–G RAM G is substantial, yet the critical question — how disbursement will be linked to verifiable outcomes rather than process compliance — remains unanswered. The Lakhpati Didi target of 6 crore is ambitious; the ₹10 lakh crore bank-linkage roadmap gives it financial scaffolding, but SHG credit absorption has historically lagged headline targets. Whether this conference translates into district-level change or remains a well-attended policy ritual will depend on what happens after the states return home.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Viksit Bharat–G RAM G programme announced by Shivraj Singh Chouhan?
Viksit Bharat–G RAM G is a new rural development scheme set to launch nationwide from 1 July, for which an interim approval of ₹95,682 crore has already been granted. States have been asked to complete required formalities before the launch date to ensure smooth implementation.
What is the Lakhpati Didi Dashboard?
The Lakhpati Didi Dashboard is a new digital platform launched by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to track and support women in self-help groups who earn at least ₹1 lakh annually. The government aims to increase the count of such women from 3 crore to 6 crore.
Why is the Centre pushing AI-based monitoring for rural schemes?
According to Chouhan, AI and digital tools are essential to improve transparency, strengthen monitoring, and ensure welfare schemes actually reach intended beneficiaries. The minister said technology-driven governance is central to building a prosperous rural India.
What is the SHE LEAPS platform?
SHE LEAPS is a digital platform launched alongside the Lakhpati Didi Dashboard to support women associated with self-help groups. Both platforms are part of the Centre's broader push to bring rural women into the digital and formal financial ecosystem.
Who attended the Gramodaya Se Rashtroudaya conference?
The two-day conference in New Delhi brought together rural development ministers, senior officials, and policymakers from 29 states and Union Territories. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma were among the notable attendees.
