Andhra to leverage space technology for real-time governance

Amaravati, June 2 (IANS) The Real Team Governance Society of Andhra Pradesh on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ISRO's SHAR (Sriharikota Range) to leverage space technology for real-time citizen-centric governance.

The five-year MoU was signed between the two institutions in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, SHAR Director A. Rajarajan and RTGS CEO Prakhar Jain.

CM Naidu termed it a landmark step in leveraging space tech for real-time citizen-centric governance.

"This collaboration will enhance the AWARE platform with satellite imagery and scientific inputs across 42+ applications spanning agriculture, weather, disaster management, urban planning, and so on," Naidu posted on X.

"AWARE integrates data from satellites, drones, IoT, sensors, mobile feeds, and CCTV to deliver real-time alerts and advisories to citizens and the government via SMS, WhatsApp, and media and social media," he added.

AWARE stands for AP Weather Forecasting and Early Warning Research Centre, while ISRO's SHAR is also known as Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

The state government on January 30 launched WhatsApp Governance, christened "Mana Mitra' to extend hassle-free citizen-centric services to people through WhatsApp.

It started with 161 citizen services, and in March, the number of services was enhanced to 200.

Meanwhile, through another post, the Chief Minister revealed that he met a NASSCOM delegation, comprising President Rajesh Nambiar, Vice President and Head of Membership & Outreach, Srikanth Srinivasan, and ER&D head, Siva Prasad Polimetla, to discuss their strategic vision for positioning Andhra Pradesh as a leading global tech hub through innovation, talent, and infrastructure.

"For India's growing tech sector, driven by GCCs, ER&D, and AI, Andhra Pradesh is a compelling alternative to saturated hubs, offering unique advantages," wrote Naidu.

Key initiatives discussed during the meeting include an AI, Quantum, and GovTech Innovation Sandbox for real-world pilot testing, a 100K Tech Apprentice Programme to bridge talent gaps, a Coastal Cloud & Cyber Corridor for green data infrastructure, and an Andhra for Bharat initiative to scale rural-tech solutions.

--IANS

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