Landmark day for tech, innovation: PM Modi after govt nod to AI Mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the government's nod to the India AI Mission as a landmark for technology and innovation.

The Cabinet has approved the mission with an outlay of Rs 10,372 crore for five years to encourage the development of artificial intelligence in the country. The approved corpus will be used to build a high-end scalable AI ecosystem in public-private partnership mode.

"A landmark day for tech and innovation! The Cabinet's approval for the IndiaAI Mission will empower AI startups and expand access to compute infrastructure, marking a giant leap in our journey towards becoming a global leader in AI innovation," he said on X.

Reacting to other Cabinet decisions, Modi said the extension of Rs 300 per LPG cylinder subsidy to poor women under the Ujjwala Yojana for the next fiscal is an important step which will benefit women and ensure smoke-free kitchens.

The government on Thursday also raised the minimum support price (MSP) for raw jute by Rs 285 to Rs 5,335 per quintal for the 2024-25 season.

The decision to fix the MSP of raw jute (TDN-3 equivalent to earlier TD-5 grade) was taken at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said.

Modi said his government is committed to the welfare of farmers and the decision will help them in many states, including West Bengal.

Reacting to the Rs 10,037-crore new industrial development scheme, UNNATI, for eight northeastern states, he said the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialisation Scheme will enhance the growth trajectory of the region and create many opportunities for the youth.