In a move to modernise public services and improve efficiency, Karnataka’s e-governance department is focusing on advanced technologies to strengthen operations and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
The department is working to expand the use of Artificial Intelligence and geospatial technologies across sectors. It plans to collaborate with the Karnataka State Remote Sensing and Application Centre (KSRSAC), engineering colleges, and companies in the geotechnology space. These innovations were showcased at K-GIS 2.0, which featured student model competitions, technical sessions, and panel discussions under the theme “Technologies for Managing Planet Earth”.
Pankaj Kumar Pandey, principal secretary of the department of personnel and administrative reforms (e-governance), said AI adoption must increase across sectors to improve government functioning. He highlighted key focus areas such as energy, forests, lakes, and irrigation systems.
Explaining a use case, Pandey said irrigation pumpsets (IP) can be linked to specific crops using dedicated feeder systems. By combining this with KSRSAC data, regions can be mapped to ensure timely supply of water and electricity for crop harvesting. This approach can help reduce farmer losses and improve power utilisation.
He also pointed out that data-driven planning and monitoring can help address aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses. According to Pandey, integrating geospatial tools into power transmission networks and managing agricultural power consumption can save up to Rs 5,000 crore for the state.
The department is also focusing on monitoring groundwater levels while using pumpsets. Pandey added that installing solar panels and better channelising power supply can further improve efficiency.
He said the department is open to using satellite imagery from global agencies, including NASA and private firms, but emphasised that optimising indigenous technology remains important as it is more cost-effective and reliable.
The discussions at the event also highlighted the growing role of mapping and geospatial technologies in sectors like infrastructure, underlining their potential to transform governance and planning.
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