Haryana Launches AI Sandbox for Smarter Governance

Synopsis:  Haryana has launched an AI Sandbox platform in Gurugram to support innovation in public services, enabling startups to test AI solutions across sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and grievance redressal.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has launched the Haryana Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sandbox in Gurugram, marking a significant step in the state’s efforts to integrate advanced technologies into governance and public service delivery. The initiative is designed to promote innovation, strengthen digital governance, and ensure that the benefits of technology reach citizens at every level of society.

Describing the platform as a transformative tool for governance, Saini said the AI Sandbox aligns with the state’s commitment to the principle of Antyodaya, which focuses on uplifting the last person in society. He emphasized that technology-driven solutions have the potential to improve everyday public services, ranging from roads and water supply to healthcare and education.

The AI Sandbox forms part of Haryana’s broader AI Development Programme, which has an estimated outlay of ₹474 crore and is being supported by the World Bank. The platform follows a “test before invest” model, allowing innovators and startups to develop, test, and validate AI-based solutions before they are deployed on a larger scale. This approach helps ensure that technologies are effective, safe, and capable of delivering measurable outcomes before public resources are committed.

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The launch also marks the beginning of the proposal submission phase, inviting startups, researchers, and technology innovators to create AI-powered solutions for pressing public-service challenges. Applications will undergo a competitive evaluation process involving government departments and programme experts, with one team selected for each identified use case.

According to J. Ganesan, Chief Executive Officer of the AI for Resilient Jobs, Urban Air Quality & Next-Gen Skills Council (ARJUN), successful projects will receive financial support from the World Bank to facilitate implementation and expansion. He added that major cloud service providers, including Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services, have expressed interest in supporting pilot projects through access to cloud infrastructure.

Initially, the state will focus on five priority sectors: public grievance redressal, school education planning, road maintenance, healthcare imaging, and water and sewerage management. Future applications are expected to extend to agriculture, transport, urban development, social welfare, environment, and industry.

World Bank Acting India Director Paul Procee reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting Haryana’s efforts to build AI capabilities and strengthen technology-led governance, positioning the state as a leader in public-sector innovation.