Himachal govt planning cyber hub to boost IT sector: CM Sukhu

Shimla, Oct 10 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government is planning to establish a 'cyber city' spread over 650 bighas at Waknaghat in Solan district, where data storage, artificial intelligence (AI), and other IT-based enterprises could operate from, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday.

Chairing a high-level meeting of the Digital Technologies and Governance Department here, he directed officials to finalise a detailed blueprint for the project at the earliest, according to a statement.

Emphasising that the information technology (IT) sector is a priority area, Sukhu noted that the government was taking concrete measures to promote technological advancement and attract investment in the IT industry across the state.

Reviewing the ongoing construction work of the Centre of Excellence at Waknaghat, the chief minister directed that the work should be expedited, and an AI lab should be established at the centre.

He also instructed for the early completion of the IT parks at Chaitaru in Kangra, and Mehli in Shimla by December 2025.

Underlining the importance of digital transformation in governance, he said all the departments must digitise their operations to ensure efficient and citizen-friendly service delivery.

"The state government aims to provide maximum public services at the doorstep of people through a single click," he said, adding that every department should fully adopt IT solutions and work through the e-office system to enhance transparency and efficiency.

He directed organising workshops to familiarise government officials with the e-file management system and emerging technologies, encouraging its widespread use across departments.

Additionally, directions were issued for the appointment of nodal officers in every department to facilitate the monitoring of this digital shift. All secretariat officials were instructed to record their attendance. PTI BPL ARB MPL MPL