Presiding over ‘Tech Saksham’, a landmark capacity-building workshop jointly organised by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and NICSI under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) at the Convention Centre, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today set a strong direction for the digital future of Jammu & Kashmir.
He stressed that digital governance is no longer just a support function but has become the backbone of transparent, efficient and responsive public service delivery.
The workshop was attended by State Election Commissioner J&K Shantmanu, Principal Secretary Home Department Chandraker Bharti, Secretary Information Technology Dr Piyush Singla, and CEO JaKeGA Mahima Madan, among others. Senior officials including NIC Deputy Director General Varindra Seth, NICSI MD Alok Tiwari, State Informatics Officer Jaskaran Singh Modi, and ASIO NIC Sanjay Gupta were also present.
The Chief Secretary said the administration is steadily moving towards a ‘Whole-of-Government’ approach aimed at breaking departmental silos through interoperability and a shared digital framework to ensure faster and seamless service delivery.
He highlighted that in a geographically diverse region like Jammu & Kashmir, digital platforms act as a vital bridge between governance and citizens. These systems, he said, help reduce administrative delays, improve efficiency, curb corruption, and strengthen public trust in governance.
He also underlined the need for user-friendly digital platforms with local language support so that all citizens can easily access government services. He added that structured and well-governed data will form the foundation for the effective use of Artificial Intelligence in public administration.
The Chief Secretary emphasised that strict cybersecurity compliance and robust crisis management systems across departments are essential. He also called for continuous capacity building of officials and stronger collaboration between government departments, NIC/NICSI, and academic institutions to accelerate the digital transformation agenda.
He further announced key developments, including the MeitY-approved Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence at IIT Jammu, which will function through a Special Purpose Vehicle to promote research and innovation tailored to regional needs. He also mentioned that the government is considering establishing two IT Parks in Jammu and Srinagar to boost the startup ecosystem and generate employment opportunities for youth.
Speaking on the occasion, State Election Commissioner Shantmanu highlighted the growing role of information technology in governance and electoral processes. He cautioned that Artificial Intelligence must be adopted carefully, studied thoroughly, and used responsibly to maximise benefits while reducing risks.
The workshop also featured expert sessions on Cyber Security by Amit Dubey, Cloud technologies by Rajendran Dandapani of Zoho Corporation, and Artificial Intelligence by Alok Tiwari. The vote of thanks was delivered by Jaskaran Singh Modi, State Informatics Officer, NIC J&K. (Agency)
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