New Delhi, Mar 12 (IANS): The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi to formalise their partnership in applications of geospatial technology and artificial intelligence (AI), marking a significant stride towards technological advancement in rural development.

The MoU centres around the project "BhuPRAHARI", an ambitious initiative aimed at leveraging ground and space-based geospatial technologies along with AI to monitor and manage assets under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The project is to be executed by HydroSense Lab led by Prof Manabendra Saharia.

"The collaboration is a commitment to harnessing the power of technology for the betterment of rural development processes," the MoRD said in a statement.

According to officials, the integration of cutting-edge technologies is expected to modernise the way rural development projects are planned, monitored, and executed, ensuring accountability, and optimising resource allocation.

In addition, the MoU marks the beginning of a collaborative effort to explore and apply technological solutions to the challenges faced by rural communities.

Through this partnership, IIT Delhi and the MoRD are setting a precedent for how academic institutions and government bodies can work together to foster innovation and drive socio-economic progress, the statement noted.

The BhuPRAHARI project is set to commence with immediate effect, with both parties eager to translate this vision into reality.