State-level workshop showcases cutting-edge AI solutions for smarter water governance

Bhubaneswar: A pioneering workshop titled “Introduction of Best Practices in Data Management and Digitization for Water Resource Monitoring using Artificial Intelligence (AI)” was successfully conducted today in Bhubaneswar.

The event was jointly organised by the State Water Informatics Centre (SWIC), Department of Water Resources (DoWR) Odisha, in collaboration with IIT Bhubaneswar’s Research and Entrepreneurship Park. Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, DoWR, Govt. of Odisha graced the occasion as the Chief Guest in this workshop.

In her address in the inaugural session, she emphasized the critical importance of digitization, data management, and AI in enhancing transparency and efficiency in the Water Resources Department.

Highlighting themes of good governance and IT initiatives in Odisha’s vision document, she lauded the initiative for bringing departments together to drive progress through innovation and collaboration.

Among others, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Padhi, Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources; Er. Krushna Chandra Mohanty, Chief Engineer and Director, GWD-cum-Director, SWIC-Odisha; Dr. Debi Prosad Dogra, HoD, Computer Science Engineering, IIT Bhubaneswar and Dr. Arjamadutta Sarangi, Director, Indian Institute of Water Management (IIWM) spoke on the occasion and highlighted the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence, Data Management, Data Analytics and Digitization in the field of water resource management.

The day-long workshop brought together experts, government officials, and stakeholders from various sectors to explore how artificial intelligence can revolutionise water resource management through advanced data-driven strategies.

The initiative was in line with the Government’s broader vision of integrating cutting-edge technologies for sustainable natural resource governance.In his session, Dr. Debi Prosad Dogra laid the foundation with an insightful talk on “Introduction to AI and Data Analytics: Scopes in Water Resource Management.”

He was followed by Dr. Sandip Patnaik, Associate Professor, School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, who elaborated on AI applications in rainfall predictions.Post-lunch sessions included an engaging discussion on deep learning models for water management by Dr. Ram Prasad Padhy, Assistant Professor, Computer Science & Engineering, and a presentation on digital tools in water governance by Dr. Meenu Ramadas, Associate Professor, School of Infrastructure.The workshop emphasized:•

Capacity Building: Enhancing skills in AI-driven monitoring, forecasting, and data visualization.• Policy Support: Enabling evidence-based planning and decision-making.•

Data Governance: Promoting structured and transparent data management practices.•

Technology Adoption: Encouraging mainstreaming of digital innovations across departments.The event witnessed active participation from officials of the Water Resources Department and allied sectors. Attendees gained hands-on exposure to AI platforms, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and improved service delivery in the domain of water governance.

The organisers expressed confidence that this collaborative effort would catalyse transformative change in water resource monitoring and serve as a model for tech-enabled public sector reforms.