Jaipur: Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Tuesday launched four major digital governance initiatives — the Rajasthan Language Model Training Hackathon, Smart Rajasthan automated citizen service delivery platform, Rajasthan Innovation Challenge and the e-Mitra WhatsApp Service — while inaugurating the two-day 29th National e-Governance Conference at Rajasthan International Centre (RIC).Rajasthan residents can now access 27 govt services through WhatsApp by sending “Hi” to 94610-62705. The platform enables electricity and water bill payments and applications for documents, including EWS certificates, reducing the need to visit govt offices or e-Mitra centres.Addressing the conference, Sharma said the Centre’s digital governance initiatives, including Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile connectivity, transformed public service delivery by eliminating middlemen and enabling direct benefit transfer to beneficiaries. He said programmes such as Digital India and UPI made technology a key driver of economic growth and governance reforms.Highlighting Rajasthan’s digital initiatives, CM said the Rajasthan Sampark portal resolved 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh public grievances every month within stipulated timelines. He said the state recently adopted the Rajasthan AI-ML Policy 2026 to expand the use of artificial intelligence across governance, healthcare, education, agriculture and industry.Sharma said the state’s AVGC and XR Policy, along with the AI and Quantum Computing Mission, would create opportunities for youth in animation, gaming, visual effects and emerging technologies. He added that more than 900 govt services are now available through more than 79,000 e-Mitra kiosks across Rajasthan.Later, Sharma held a round-table discussion with industry representatives on the sidelines of the conference and invited entrepreneurs to partner with the state in research, innovation, employment and future technologies. Reaffirming the govt’s commitment to attracting investment, he said the state aims to emerge as India’s preferred destination for AI and data centres through industry-friendly policies, land availability, a reliable power supply and single-window clearances. Industry leaders also shared suggestions on AI, cloud computing, semiconductors, quantum computing and the startup ecosystem.
