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The Ministry of Minority Affairs is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies for strengthening digital governance and citizen-centric service delivery, including in areas relating to Haj services such as the Haj Suvidha App, the Parliament was told today.
According to the Ministry, digital systems are being deployed to enhance transparency, implementation, and monitoring of various welfare schemes. The adoption of emerging technologies is being carried out in collaboration with sovereign artificial intelligence companies under the framework of the national IndiaAI Mission. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that the Ministry is also exploring the use of emerging technologies in collaboration with sovereign AI companies, under the broader framework of IndiaAI Mission, wherever considered appropriate, for strengthening digital governance and citizen-centric service delivery, such as AI-enabled multilingual chatbots, virtual assistance, and intelligent digital interfaces, including in areas relating to Haj services such as Haj Suvidha App and other Ministry initiatives. The implementation of these technology-driven initiatives adheres strictly to statutory requirements and regulatory standards set by the government. Any use of such technologies is undertaken in accordance with the applicable policy framework of the Government of India and the relevant legal and regulatory provisions, the Ministry said. The Government has approved the IndiaAI Mission with the objective of establishing a robust, inclusive and responsible AI ecosystem in the country. The Mission comprises seven key pillars, namely, IndiaAI Compute, Foundation Models, IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, IndiaAI Future Skills, AIKosh (IndiaAI Datasets Platform), Safe & Trusted AI, and IndiaAI Startup Financing, to promote indigenous AI capabilities, innovation, responsible AI and socio-economic transformation across sectors. Operational deployment aligns with established national guidelines. "The India AI Governance Guidelines, released on 5 November 2025, provide a comprehensive framework for safe, responsible and inclusive development of AI, based on the principles of Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness and Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, and Safety, Resilience and Sustainability," the written submission noted. Appropriate safeguards relating to privacy, confidentiality, data protection, information security, access control and responsible use of AI form an integral part of any such technology-enabled solution. Processing of personal data, wherever involved, is governed by the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and other applicable legal provisions, including implementation of reasonable security safeguards, grievance redressal mechanisms and other statutory requirements, as applicable. Addressing administrative record-keeping, the Ministry stated that digital initiatives operate within broader administrative frameworks. The Ministry's digital initiatives are implemented as part of the overall administration and monitoring of its schemes and programmes. Accordingly, information with specific reference to AI Vision Centres for Minorities, including applications, approvals, fund allocation, beneficiaries and outcome assessment, is not maintained separately. (ANI)
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