Bhatti Vikramarka Launches ‘AI Saaksham’, Says Technology Must Improve Public Services

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka has stressed that artificial intelligence (AI) should make government services faster, more transparent and accessible to ordinary citizens. Speaking at the launch of the ‘AI Saaksham’ programme at MCR HRD in Hyderabad, organised by TG Math with the support of the Planning Department, he said the real measure of AI’s success in governance would be whether it helps resolve public grievances on time, reduces repeated visits to government offices and returns time saved by officials to citizens through better services.

Vikramarka explained that AI could help departments analyse public expenditure, identify project delays, forecast electricity demand, detect equipment faults and assess gaps in welfare delivery. However, he emphasised that AI-generated alerts are not proof of wrongdoing and that officials must verify information before using it for decisions. He also called for safeguards to protect personal data, human oversight of AI-based decisions, clear accountability and small-scale pilot projects before wider implementation. The programme aims to improve government employees’ technological skills and strengthen citizen-focused administration. Planning Secretary Gaurav Uppal, TRANSCO CMD Krishna Bhaskar, TG Math Managing Director Pooja and MCR HRD Director General Shanti Kumari attended the event.