Chandigarh, May 6 -- The Union ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) has formally approved the Haryana government's proposal to set up two Artificial Intelligence (AI) centres of excellence - one in Panchkula and the other in Gurugram. The chief executive officer of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed under the Haryana AI Development Project, J Ganesan said told HT that the Rs.40-crore project will be under a 40:40:20 funding mechanism. 40% of the funding -Rs.16 crore - will be provided by the Union government, 40% by the Haryana government and 20% (Rs.8 crore) by the industry partners, such as NASSCOM and STPI who have submitted commitment letters for the projects. The special purpose vehicle is named ARJUN (AI for Resilient Jobs, Urban Air Quality & Next-Gen Skills Council). "The Global Artificial Intelligence Centre in Gurugram and Haryana Advanced Computing Facility at Panchkula will be about 10,000 square feet facilities each. The distinction between the two proposed Centres of Excellence units is that the Gurugram unit is an extension of the existing MeitY blockchain and internet of things Centre of Excellence, while the Panchkula unit would be a greenfield establishment," Ganesan said. Haryana government officials said that, while the strategic focus areas for Gurugram centre of excellence would be healthcare, agriculture, public service delivery, education, environment and sustainability, the Panchkula centre would focus on financial inclusion, governance and citizen services, flood and disaster management besides healthcare, agriculture and education. The Haryana government proposed the centres in 2024 under the Centre's IndiaAI Mission, which was approved by the Union Council of Ministers in March 2024. The mission is implemented by IndiaAI, an independent business division under the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. On April 17, the central government held the second meeting of the sub-group of project approval board to examine and review Haryana's proposals for establishment of the centres. The PAB sub-group is a committee mandated to examine and review the proposals received from states and UTs and is responsible for their evaluation. Gurugram's emergence as a proposed artificial intelligence hub has gained momentum as Haryana pushes to strengthen its startup ecosystem, said chief minister Nayab Singh Saini. The CM announced the Haryana AI Mission during a pre-budget consultation in Manesar on January 21. "Young innovators are giving a new direction to Haryana's economy, and we are committed to turning the state into a hub of innovation," Saini said. Backed by Rs.474 crore from the World Bank, the mission aims to train 50,000 youths. Haryana currently has over 9,500 startups and 19 unicorns, with Gurugram and Manesar central to this growth. Industries and commerce minister Rao Narbir Singh said AI hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula will train youth in artificial intelligence, data analytics and automation. "This initiative will not only enhance the employability of our youth but also attract investment and create new opportunities in the technology sector," Singh said....