MP government to start artificial intelligence course in schools: CM Chouhan

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government will start a course in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for students from class 8, which will be the first such initiative in the country, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. The government will also launch a veterinary telemedicine facility so that livestock keepers can get advice on the phone regarding diseases of cows and other animals. A similar facility will be launched for farmers so that they can consult experts over the phone regarding agriculture-related problems and diseases of crops, the chief minister told a press conference at Pachmarhi, the lone hill station in MP, located 210 km away from Bhopal.

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The two-day brainstorming session of the Madhya Pradesh cabinet held at Pachmarhi ended on Sunday. The state cabinet also took several other decisions including setting up Sanjivani clinics in urban areas and regarding transportation policy for rural areas. "A decision has been taken to arrange veterinary telemedicine facility so that livestock keepers can get advice on the phone in case of any ailment to cows and other animals," Chouhan said. Similarly, telecall arrangements will be made for farmers so that they can get advice about agriculture-related problems and diseases of crops from specialists, he said.

Chouhan said students from class 8 will be taught artificial intelligence (AI) which is happening for the first time in the country. A 240-hour course is being introduced for school students, he said. A renewed CM Tirth Darshan Yojana (a free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens), which was inoperative due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be launched the next month and the first train will leave for Varanasi on April 18, he said, adding that state cabinet ministers will also travel in this first train. A plan to make arrangements for taking senior citizens to distant pilgrimage spots through the air was also discussed, he said.

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The amount of financial assistance for the Kanyadan Scheme (for the marriage of girls from poor families) has been increased to Rs 55,000, the CM said. A renewed "Ladli Laxmi Yojana" will be launched on May 2, he said. Fair price shops will be turned into multipurpose shops where items other than ration will be sold, the CM added. He said schools are being developed at different places in MP under which buildings will be constructed for Rs 24 crore.

Chouhan said a "CM Sanjivani clinic" will be set up for every 25,000 people in urban areas to reduce the burden on big hospitals, he said, adding that this facility will start from April 22 in some areas. He said MP will become the first state in India where students can study MBBS in Hindi. "This move will help students who had studied from non-English medium schools," Chouhan said. He said cyber tehsils will also be set up where people will get land transfer titles online.