Bhubaneswar, July 22: In a move aimed at promoting the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in government administration, the Odisha Rural Development Department has proposed the procurement of premium digital services, including ChatGPT Plus, Google AI Pro and Google One.

The proposal seeks administrative approval and financial sanction for acquiring advanced AI tools, cloud storage facilities and improved video conferencing solutions to enhance the efficiency of project management, online reviews and day-to-day administrative activities under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

The request was submitted by the office of the Engineer-in-Chief (Rural Works) to the Principal Secretary of the Rural Development Department, seeking necessary approval for the initiative.

The department has highlighted that PMGSY projects in Odisha are increasingly relying on digital platforms for real-time monitoring, data analysis and faster decision-making. With the growing use of digital systems, the volume of data generated through road construction and maintenance activities has increased significantly.

Officials pointed out that large amounts of data, including road alignment maps, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), construction photographs, geo-tagged records and financial documents, are being generated regularly. The existing free digital storage and collaboration facilities are no longer considered sufficient to meet these requirements.

Under the proposed plan, ChatGPT Plus will be used to support administrative tasks such as drafting government correspondence, preparing reports, creating notes and developing presentations. The department expects the AI-powered assistant to improve efficiency and reduce the time required for routine documentation work.

Meanwhile, Google AI Pro and Google One services are expected to provide enhanced cloud storage, better data management capabilities and improved online collaboration tools for departmental activities.

The initiative is part of the broader effort to integrate emerging technologies into government functioning and make public administration more efficient, technology-driven and data-oriented.