Roadmap on AI for Inclusive Societal Development 2025

Introduction

The roadmap is a pioneering effort to ensure India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 is inclusive. The 490 million informal workers including artisans, farmers, and care providers, form the heartbeat of India’s economy, yet they face major systemic hurdles to accessing the benefits of the formal sector.

Why to Empower Informal Workers

The challenges faced by informal workers extend beyond income, encompassing access to trust, skills, and market tools. The widespread adoption of AI and frontier technologies is the critical factor in dismantling four foundational systemic barriers and integrating this massive workforce into the formal economy.

Key Takeaways

• • Target Group: The roadmap focuses on integrating India’s 490 million informal workers into the formal economy.
  • Central Mission: Proposes a central, technology-driven initiative called the Digital Shram Setu to act as a bridge for empowerment.
  • Trust Layer: Advocates for a unified, cryptographically secure Trust Layer for workers by 2035, issuing Verifiable Digital Credentials (VCs) for identity and work history.
  • Skill Credentials: The plan calls for issuing interoperable, DLT-based skill credentials and deploying adaptive learning pathways to match local needs.
  • Vernacular Access: Utilizes initiatives like Bhashini to enable context-aware smart interfaces and vernacular AI assistants.

Ways to Empower Informal Workers

1. Building a Foundation of Digital Trust

This involves creating a verifiable and secure digital identity for workers, replacing manual records with automated, trustworthy systems.

• • Verifiable Digital Credentials (VCs):
    • Issue DLT-based skill credentials to provide portable and tamper-proof proof of training and work history.
    • Credentials would be stored in a digital wallet for self-sovereign identity management.
  • Smart Contracts:
    • Use self-executing digital agreements on a ledger to automatically trigger milestone-based payments, ensuring transparent wage disbursal.
  • AI-Powered Verification:
    • Employ AI for real-time verification of worker identity, background, and contract compliance, reducing the trust deficit with employers and financial institutions.

2. Strengthening Skilling and Capability

Solutions are designed to make training scalable, accessible, and aligned with market demand, addressing the Knowledge & Capability Gaps.

• • Adaptive Learning:
    • Deploy adaptive learning pathways that match individual progress and local needs, catering to low-literacy workers.
    • Embed immersive learning modules for hands-on, practical training experiences.
  • Tracking and Certification:
    • Utilize smart contracts to track and certify apprenticeships and skill acquisition accurately.
    • Leverage platforms like Skill India Digital Hub and PM Vishwakarma Yojna to implement these technologies.

3. Enhancing Access and Usability (Vernacular Tech)

This strategy addresses the Systemic Access & Usability Gaps by making digital platforms simpler, voice-enabled, and multilingual.

• • Vernacular AI Assistants:
    • Enable context-aware smart interfaces and vernacular AI assistants (using frameworks like Bhashini and AI4Bharat).
    • These assistants help low-literacy workers navigate portals and access services independently.
  • Simplified Design:
    • Redesign public digital services to be text-light, intuitive, and supported by local dialects.

4. Strategic AI Interventions in Key Sectors

AI is used to provide sector-specific tools and reduce Structural Inefficiencies/Tooling Deficit.

• • Agriculture (Precision Farming):
    • Deploy AI & IoT precision farming systems for real-time, hyperlocal advisory on soil health, pests, and nutrient management.
    • Promote leasing of solar-powered wearable exoskeletons to reduce physical strain during manual tasks.
  • Healthcare (Care Workers):
    • Use AI to match patients with locally available caregivers based on VC-verified skills and credentials.

Importance of the AI Roadmap

• • Integrates 490 million workers into the formal economy, providing access to credit, social security, and fair wages.
  • Empowers workers with modern tools and demand-aligned skills, boosting their contribution to the economy.
  • Ensures that the benefits of Artificial Intelligence are distributed equitably, accelerating the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Conclusion

The Digital Shram Setu mission, by focusing on creating a foundation of trust and providing accessible, vernacular tools will build a skilled, confident, and resilient workforce that drives India’s future growth.