Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed the state administration to enhance the security cover by reinforcing the CCTV grid for safer cities in the future. Fadnavis emphasized the importance of creating safe and crime-free urban areas to ensure a secure environment for residents. He directed the Information and Technology Department, in collaboration with the Home and Urban Development departments, to establish a corporation focusing on the effective utilization of CCTV systems for criminal investigations and the development of an intelligence-based CCTV infrastructure.
Fadnavis, during a review meeting of the IT Department at the Vidhan Bhavan, highlighted the need for finalizing policies such as the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, the CCTV-based “Mahanetra” Policy, and the Maharashtra Unmanned System Policy. He stressed the significance of incorporating AI and modern technology in government operations to reduce human intervention where possible. The Chief Minister proposed the establishment of a new corporation named Maharashtra Unmanned System and Infrastructure Corporation (MUSIC) to leverage AI, drone technology, and other innovations in tasks that can be automated.
The Chief Minister also underscored the importance of drone technology in various sectors, particularly in agriculture, and emphasized the need for research and development in this field. Fadnavis highlighted the positive impact of drone technology on human life and called for a focus on drone manufacturing, software development, and measures to prevent misuse for harmful activities. He further emphasized the necessity of Integrated Control and Command Centres for CCTV systems in cities, involving experts and leveraging private sector participation to ensure the latest technology is utilized.
Fadnavis expressed confidence that by establishing this comprehensive ecosystem, Maharashtra will lead globally in this domain. He noted the state’s wealth of data available on the Mahasarathi Portal for effective scheme implementation and instructed the formulation of a Mahasarathi Policy to optimize this data for the public’s maximum benefit.
