Bhubaneswar: In a move that signals the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in governance, Odisha’s Engineer-in-Chief (EIC) of Rural Works has sought approval to subscribe to AI-powered tools to streamline official work, improve productivity, and reduce the time spent on routine administrative tasks.
The EIC Office has proposed the procurement of premium digital and AI services, including Google One, Google AI Pro and ChatGPT Plus, to improve office efficiency, project monitoring and data management.
According to an official letter on July 20, and addressed to the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Rural Development Department, the proposal seeks administrative approval and financial sanction for purchasing paid subscriptions to support the department’s growing digital requirements.
The letter states that the Rural Works Department, particularly under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) framework, has witnessed a sharp increase in digital data generated through road alignment maps, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), project photographs and financial records. It says these expanding digital assets require greater cloud storage and improved collaboration tools.
The department has also highlighted the increasing reliance on virtual meetings for project monitoring. It notes that review meetings chaired by the EIC and Chief Engineer often exceed the limitations of free video conferencing platforms in terms of meeting duration and participant capacity.
The proposal further points out that the existing free cloud storage limit of 15 GB is no longer sufficient for managing the large volume of official data, creating operational bottlenecks in day-to-day functioning.
To address these challenges, the Engineer-in-Chief has proposed paid subscriptions to Google One for expanded cloud storage, Google AI Pro and ChatGPT Plus for AI-assisted office work, along with enhanced video conferencing capabilities to improve workflow continuity, collaboration and administrative efficiency. The Engineer-in-Chief has requested the department to accord the necessary administrative approval and financial sanction for procuring the proposed digital and AI subscriptions.
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