According to reports, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to research and develop Artificial Intelligence and geospatial technology to support rural development. This collaboration concentrates on leveraging the power of cutting-edge technologies to improve the operational efficiency and transparency of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) projects.

The project ‘BhuPRAHARI’ will use ground—and space-based geospatial technologies and AI to analyse and manage assets under the MGNREGA. It will be implemented by the HydroSense lab, led by Prof Manabendra Saharia of IIT Delhi.

The MoU was signed by Amit Kataria, the joint secretary of MoRD, and Prof Manabendra. The Secretary of MoRD, Shailesh Kumar Singh, the Director of IIT Delhi, and Prof Rangan Banerjee also attended the signing ceremony.

The officials highlighted the significance of this partnership in enhancing the operational efficiency and transparency of MGNREGA projects. Moreover, they said that integrating cutting-edge technologies will help modernise how rural development projects are planned, monitored, and executed by ensuring accountability and optimising resource distribution. Additionally, the institute commented that it is committed to applying scientific research and technological solutions for the social good.