Assam Raj Bhavan teams up with IIT Guwahati for nation’s first digital governance revamp

Assam Raj Bhavan has signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati to launch a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at the digital transformation of a Governor’s office in India. The agreement was signed at Raj Bhavan in the presence of Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya.

The Commissioner and Secretary to the Governor, Meenakshi Sundaram, and IIT Guwahati Director, Prof Devendra Jalihal, formalised the partnership, which will see IIT Guwahati serve as a knowledge partner and consultant for the Gyan Kalyan Project.

This initiative is designed to bring about both qualitative and quantitative improvements in the functioning of the Raj Bhavan. The digital revamp aims to boost efficiency in public service delivery, streamline administrative workflows, and integrate technology-driven solutions into the operations of the Governor’s office.

According to the agreement, IIT Guwahati will support the creation of a comprehensive digital governance framework. This includes the development of portals such as the Chancellor's Portal, the Governor's Office Portal, and platforms for managing departments and institutions, public engagements, matters related to Sixth Schedule areas, and Governor-led initiatives.

Described as the first such effort in the country, the Gyan Kalyan Project will incorporate advanced IT tools and adhere to 360-degree security and data protection protocols. It will also assist the Governor in fulfilling a wide range of responsibilities, including legislative, executive, judicial, statutory, ad-hoc, and discretionary functions.

Separately, IIT Guwahati also made headlines recently for a major scientific breakthrough. On May 1, a team from the institute, led by Prof PK Giri from the Department of Physics and Centre for Nanotechnology, announced the development of a novel, multifunctional aerogel capable of addressing environmental challenges such as wastewater treatment, industrial pollution, and oil-water separation.

The study highlights the aerogel’s ultra-lightweight, porous structure and high adsorption capacity, making it suitable for a variety of industrial and environmental applications.