The Maharashtra government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Microsoft Corporation for a strategic partnership to establish three cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) centres of excellence in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur to accelerate the adoption of AI technologies within the state’s administration.
The Mumbai Centre for Geospatial Analytics will be hosted in the chief secretary’s office and will provide advanced geospatial analytics capabilities. It will support critical decision-making in governance through satellite imagery analysis, spatial data management, and geographic information system-based applications. The Centre for Excellence in Pune will see an integration of AI capabilities with existing forensic
science infrastructure to enhance criminal investigation processes, forensic data analysis and evidence management.
The Nagpur-based Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enforcement of Reformed Laws Limited (MARVEL), the third centre of excellence, will help strengthen AI-driven solutions for government functions, focusing on enforcement, monitoring, vigilance, and innovative governance reforms. The capacity building will be ensured through the collaboration between MARVEL and IIM-Nagpur.
The MoU engages Microsoft Corporation for comprehensive training programs and certification to the government employees through its globally recognised MS Learn platforms