Lok Sabha Question No. 4309 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: AI-based Startups and Skill Development Centres in Bundelkhand
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Anurag Sharma

## 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 Indiaspecific  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  sectorspecific  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.

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## 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=2075
3.         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

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