Maharashtra IT Minister Ashish Shelar used his address at the World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) 2025 in Mumbai to unveil an ambitious roadmap to transform Maharashtra from an e-governance leader into a global hub of AI-powered governance, business, innovation and inclusive, Hindu values-driven economic growth.
Shelar framed his speech around the civilizational idea of Swa (selfhood), recalling how historic invaders attacked not only Bharat’s sovereignty but also its spiritual, cultural and economic confidence. He stressed that Hindu thought, family values and economic strength once inspired the world and must again become the foundation of Bharat’s rise.
Quoting Acharya Chanakya, he underlined that when the economy is strong, the state becomes strong, linking Maharashtra’s technology-led development to the national vision of making Bharat a fully developed “Viksit Bharat” by 2047. He said the state’s “Vikasit Maharashtra 2047” document reflects inputs from lakhs of citizens, departments and stakeholders, making it an inclusive blueprint for growth.
From E-Governance to AI Governance
Outlining Maharashtra’s digital journey, Shelar said the state has successfully moved from computerisation to e-governance, then to i-governance, and is now decisively transitioning to AI-governance. He clarified that AI governance must go beyond mere data analytics to become a technology backbone for Maharashtra’s development across sectors.
He identified three thrust areas of the state’s AI initiative:
- A clear AI policy that defines roles for agriculture, manufacturing, services and other sectors.
- Detailed SOPs, incentives and subsidies to support AI-enabled businesses and entrepreneurship.
- Building a globally competitive ecosystem of skilled human resources through sustained upskilling.
He announced that India’s first dedicated AI University is being planned in Maharashtra, with land allocation, task force work and educator planning already underway and Bhoomi Poojan expected within six months. A 300-acre greenfield AI Park or “AI City” is planned in Navi Mumbai near the new airport, designed to host innovators and investors with world-class connectivity.
Incentives, GCC Push and Infrastructure
To attract AI-enabled businesses, Shelar said Maharashtra will offer tax relief from stamp duty to local body taxes, promising a “red carpet” and even customised concessions where needed. He added that a Machine Learning and Quantum Computing task force has been formed with administrators, business leaders and market-driven professionals to shape future-ready policy.
He highlighted Maharashtra’s goal, under its GCC Policy 2025, to capture 50% of the global GCC market, backed by more than 1,700 centres already operating in the state, including 400 GCCs—over 200 of them in Mumbai alone. Citing JP Morgan’s India GCC head, he said Mumbai’s punctual, disciplined work culture is unmatched globally.
Shelar pointed to Maharashtra’s infrastructure advantage, from metro and suburban rail connectivity to highways, ports, new airports and over 55 smaller airstrips, supported by strong internet and satellite communication networks, including an MoU with Elon Musk’s satellite company.
Cybersecurity, Space and Green Data
Calling cybersecurity a “global challenge”, he said Maharashtra has created a state-owned company and Cybersecurity Task Force, working with top technologists and institutions like NSE and BSE to build war rooms and robust systems to track and neutralise attacks, including in tier-2 cities. NSE and BSE’s cyber setups, supported by Maharashtra’s war rooms, now offer a highly protective environment for financial systems, he noted.
Shelar also announced that a Space Technology Policy is in preparation, aligned with the central government’s opening of space to private and PPP participation, to position Maharashtra as a hub for space innovation and startups.
He stressed that green energy is central to the state’s data centre strategy, noting global concerns over water use and heat in data parks and highlighting work with leading firms in Mumbai to design cooling and operations that are environmentally friendly.
Creative Economy and Citizen Services
On the creative economy, Shelar said Maharashtra is the first Bharatiya state with a dedicated AVGC (Audio-Visual, Gaming, Content) policy, and held the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) earlier this year in Mumbai. He noted that the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) has launched its first campus in Mumbai to build talent for audio-visual and gaming industries.
He also referenced the Maha Hub innovation initiative, a 500-crore vehicle with private partners and IIT participation to build an innovation city at Kalyan and strengthen the MahaIT and MahaTech ecosystem.
On governance, Shelar said Maharashtra is a national leader in online services and single-window systems, and has created Aaple Sarkar 2.0 in partnership with Meta, delivering more than 1,000 government services via WhatsApp. He concluded that robust, tech-driven governance, combined with strong Hindu values and economic vision, can make Maharashtra a model of inclusive, technology-led prosperity by 2047.
