Parliament Question: AI-based Startups and Skill Development Centres in Bundelkhand

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4309 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 18.03.2026 AI-BASED STARTUPS AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IN BUNDELKHAND 4309. SHRI ANURAG SHARMA: Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state: (a) the details of amount allocated to Uttar Pradesh under the 'AI For All' initiative; (b) whether the Government has plans to establish AI-based startups and skill development centres in Bundelkhand and if so, the details thereof; and (c) the details of the proposed investment and expected outcomes of the initiative in Uttar Pradesh? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a) to (c): The YUVA AI for All course has been designed as an inclusive entry point to AI learning, requiring no prior technical background. It is envisaged as a national AI literacy initiative for building foundational Artificial Intelligence (AI) awareness among students and youth across the country. About the YUVA AI for All Course • Nature: Basic AI literacy course • Duration: Approximately 4.5 hours, self-paced • Pedagogy: Modular lessons with short assessments • Certification: Government-authorised certificate • Delivery Platforms: To maximise accessibility and reach, the course is hosted on multiple national and global platforms, details placed at Annexure I. AI-based startups The IndiaAI Startups Global programme, launched in March 2025 in collaboration with Station F (Paris) and HEC Paris, supports Indian AI startups in expanding into global innovation ecosystems. Under the programme, 10 Indian AI startups are being supported for market access and international expansion. Further, under the IndiaAI Mission, 30 AI applications are being developed focusing on India- specific challenges in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, climate change and disaster management.Sector-specific hackathons and innovation challenges have also been organised in collaboration with organisations including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Geological Survey of India, Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of MSME, NFRA and National Cancer Grid (NCG). From these initiatives, 10 startups have been identified for scaling up their solutions. Initiatives in Uttar Pradesh IndiaAI Data & AI Labs Under IndiaAI Mission, IndiaAI Data and AI Labs are being established across the country to strengthen AI skilling and capacity building. As part of this initiative, 27 labs at NIELIT centres have already been established and operationalised to deliver foundational and sector-specific AI training in data and AI. In addition, 543 labs in ITIs/Polytechnics across all States and Union Territories are currently under implementation to offer both foundational and sector-specific AI courses aligned with India’s diverse developmental needs. In Uttar Pradesh, 2 IndiaAI labs at NIELIT centres have been established, and 49 ITIs have been identified for establishing the labs. AI-CoEs under the IndiaAI Mission A scheme has been approved for the establishment of 58 Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence (AI-CoEs) across States and Union Territories in a collaborative model with MeitY, State/UT and Industry Partners. These CoEs aim to nurture skilled professionals through targeted talent development programs in emerging tech domains, while empowering tech-driven startups to accelerate their growth and innovation. Uttar Pradesh has been allocated 3 CoEs under the programme. ******* Annexure I 1. iGOT Karmayogi platform (Integrated Government Online Training): https://portal.igotkarmayogi.gov.in/app/toc/do_1144314741016166401174/overview 2. DIKSHA: https://learning.diksha.gov.in/diksha/course.php?id=959&section=20753. FutureSkills Prime (MeitY– NASSCOM): https://www.futureskillsprime.in/course/yuva-ai-for-all/ 4. Intellipaat: YUVA AI for ALL – Intellipaat Academy 5. Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/yuva-ai-for-all *******