Aizawl, May 8: Mizoram Governor General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM (Retd), who also serves as the Chief Rector of Mizoram University (MZU), inaugurated a two-day national workshop on “AI-Driven Financial Empowerment for Mizoram” at the MZU Auditorium on Wednesday.

The workshop is jointly organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, Mizoram University, and the Innovation and Bio-Inspired Technology Foundation (IBITF) of IIT Bhilai. On the occasion, the Governor released a booklet showcasing various entrepreneurship initiatives under DST’s Tribal Area Sub Plan Scheme.

In his inaugural address, the Governor emphasized the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in expanding financial services to remote and underserved regions. He highlighted the role of IIT Bhilai in implementing 36 AI-driven financial technology projects across the Northeast, including 11 currently underway in Mizoram six at Mizoram University and five at NIT Mizoram.

Stressing the need for digitization and capacity-building, the Governor underlined AI’s potential to promote financial inclusion and economic resilience. He also acknowledged the efforts of the central government under the Tribal Area Sub Plan Scheme and expressed confidence in the positive impact of the ongoing projects in Mizoram.

Under DST’s National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) has been established at IIT Bhilai to support the implementation of these projects.

A key project presented at the event was NIT Mizoram’s “Economic Optimization Platform for Public Transport System for Mizoram,” led by Dr. Lalhruaizela. The project aims to develop a mobile application for online taxi and autorickshaw booking in collaboration with the state Transport Department.

The inaugural programme featured a welcome address by Prof. Ajoy Kumar Khan, Department of Computer Engineering, MZU, who is also the workshop coordinator. Notable attendees included Prof. Dibakar Chandra Deka, Vice Chancellor of MZU; Amit Sharma, IAS, Secretary, ICT Department; Lalrammawia, Director, Transport Department; Prof. Pravakar Rath, Pro Vice Chancellor of MZU; Prof. Santosh Biswas, PD & Dean (R&D), IIT Bhilai; and Vishnu Vaibhav Dwivedi, Chief Technical Officer of IBITF, IIT Bhilai. The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. R. Chawngsangpuii, Associate Professor, Department of Information Technology, MZU.