Madhya Pradesh is emerging as a dynamic hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), drone technology, and digital governance through strategic policies and strong incentives. The draft GCC Policy 2024 aims to leverage local talent, cuttingedge infrastructure, and financial benefits to attract leading companies to Indore and Bhopal. Shri Sanjay Dubey, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Science and Technology Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, shares insights on the state’s pioneering drone policy and GIS-powered governance innovations in an exclusive interview with Abhineet Kumar and Muskan Jaiswal of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

Q. The draft GCC Policy 2024 aims to position Madhya Pradesh as a hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) by leveraging the state’s talent pool, infrastructure, and targeted incentives. Could you elaborate on the specific support mechanisms to attract and retain GCCs in the state?

GCCs are increasingly looking towards India for expansion, with major urban centres like Bengaluru, Pune, Gurgaon, and Noida already housing a significant presence. However, due to capacity and cost constraints in these metros, there is a growing interest in Tier-2 cities. Recognizing this shift, the Government of India is encouraging GCC development in emerging cities, and Madhya Pradesh is aligning with this vision through its new GCC Policy.

The policy specifically targets Indore and Bhopal, offering a comprehensive framework around three core enablers: talent, infrastructure, and incentives.

Firstly, talent availability is a key draw. Madhya Pradesh has a strong network of engineering colleges producing industryready graduates, some of whom are already employed by GCCs operating in the region.

Secondly, infrastructure support includes a 25% capital subsidy for developers creating state-of-the-art facilities to host GCCs. This incentive covers a quarter of the built infrastructure cost, making it financially viable for companies to establish operations in the state. Beyond physical infrastructure, Madhya Pradesh also boasts robust social infrastructure—including quality schools, restaurants, entertainment hubs, and public amenities—especially in Indore, which has been India’s cleanest city for seven consecutive years.

Thirdly, the state offers a range of financial incentives:

• Payroll Subsidy: Companies establishing GCCs in Madhya Pradesh are eligible for up to ₹1 lakh per employee per month, amounting to ₹12 lakh annually.
• Reskilling Support: To support workforce upskilling, the government offers subsidies for training and reskilling existing talent.
• R&D and Patent Support: Companies investing in R&D will receive assistance, including support for patent filing costs—both domestic and international.
• Relocation Incentives: For employees shifting from existing GCC hubs to Madhya Pradesh, the government offers a 25% relocation subsidy—15% directed to the employee and 10% to the employer.
• Event Support: The government is also open to partnering with GCCs on conferences, workshops, and networking events, or providing support if they are conducted independently.

This multi-pronged approach ensures that companies find not only a skilled workforce and modern infrastructure but also a strong incentive framework to ease the transition and encourage long-term investment.

Q. Madhya Pradesh (MP) has become the fourth state to introduce a drone policy – the Madhya Pradesh Drone Promotion and Use Policy, 2025 – aimed at attracting investment in the drone sector. The state plans to establish itself as a major hub for drone manufacturing and technology. Over the next five years, it aims to attract an estimated investment of ₹370 crore. Could you share the state’s plans to establish drone schools through public-private partnerships?

Madhya Pradesh has introduced the Drone Promotion and Use Policy, 2025, with an aim to position the state as a leading hub for drone manufacturing, services, and innovation. While the ₹370 crore investment target is indicative, we believe the true value lies in building a complete ecosystem—not just drone usage, but also manufacturing, drone-as-a-service, and advanced applications in AI and defence.

We’re not just focused on flying drones; we’re looking at components like motors, wings, aerodynamics, materials, navigation, communication, and their integration with AI. To enable this, we’ve extended incentives to manufacturers and service providers. A major innovation we’re driving is the creation of a Drone Data Repository—where all images captured by government agencies will be shared, free of cost, with drone service providers. Think of it like a UPI for drones. Just as UPI enabled fintech innovation, this open data model will spark use-case development in startups— especially when integrated with GIS and Gati Shakti platforms.

We’re also introducing Drone as a Service (DaaS), where users don’t need to own or operate drones themselves. They can simply access drone services through certified providers— bringing affordability and scalability. For this, we’re setting SOPs and standards.

To strengthen the knowledge base, we’re establishing Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in collaboration with ISR Bhopal, IIT Kanpur, IIT Indore, and IIT Madras, as well as other state engineering colleges. These CoEs will foster industry-academia partnerships and skill development.

Finally, we envision a Drone Technology Cluster—a onestop destination for everything drone-related: manufacturing, image processing, AI, tech development, and more. Several private players are already partnering with us and seeking support through our incentive framework.

We’ve also identified key locations, and with IIT Indore housing the country’s only space technology program within an IIT, we see a strong synergy between drones and space tech. That’s how we aim to make Madhya Pradesh India’s most significant drone innovation hub.

Q. MPSeDC is implementing GIS-powered applications such as ‘Lok Path’ and ‘Jal Rekha’ to improve governance and service delivery. What challenges has the department faced in deploying these technologies, and how are they being addressed to ensure effective implementation across the state?

Fortunately, Madhya Pradesh has been a frontrunner in the application of GIS technology—not just in Lok Path and Jal Rekha, but across multiple domains. We’re actively using GIS in agriculture to monitor crop productivity and production. It’s also helping us streamline insurance claims for farmers.

Earlier, insurance settlements depended on a patwari physically verifying crop damage after a weather-related incident. Now, we capture geo-referenced images regularly using drones. When an incident occurs, we already have historical data to compare with new images. An AI-powered tool processes this data and calculates the loss instantly. What used to take three months now takes just three hours to settle.

GIS applications extend beyond agriculture. We’re using it in road maintenance, railway line monitoring, and national highway projects. Engineers upload geo-referenced images through a simple mobile or web app. This helps us precisely identify road conditions and track repairs. Since both beforeand-after images are geo-tagged, any discrepancy or fraud can be detected immediately.

The initial challenge was the inertia—people were unsure how the technology would help. There was also some resistance from stakeholders like contractors or engineers. But once they were trained and saw the benefits, adoption became much smoother. The government’s strong commitment has also reduced resistance significantly.

Beyond infrastructure, we are using GIS to monitor the health of the holy river Narmadaji. We trace inflows into the river to detect sewage, chemical discharge, or other pollutants using GIS mapping. It’s also being used to track encroachments in real time.

Overall, GIS is now deeply embedded across departments in Madhya Pradesh. It’s well accepted, widely adopted, and has proven to be a transformative tool in governance and service delivery. The challenges were temporary—what remains is a culture of data-driven decision-making.

Q. With the launch of AgriHub at IIT Indore, supported by MeitY and the Madhya Pradesh government, how do you see this AI-driven Centre of Excellence transforming agriculture in the state? What steps are being taken to integrate innovations like drone data, GIS, and AI-based solutions into everyday farming practices across Madhya Pradesh?

Some of this I’ve already touched on. Yes, when I mentioned drones earlier, the AI technology is using that data, and it is GIS-enabled. So, that’s one part of the actual application.

But our Agritech Hub aims to do much more than that. We want to increase crop productivity, enhance seed resilience against weather changes, and reduce the need for pesticides by controlling pests naturally. Achieving this requires extensive calculations involving phenotypes and genomics. When I say genomics, I mean tinkering at the gene level, and phenotype refers to improving the strength of a crop or seed.

All of this demands massive data processing, which only AI-enabled GPU-based servers can handle. This center will have such servers. We are collaborating with C-DAC (the Center for Development of Advanced Computing, Government of India), the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), IIT Indore, and the Madhya Pradesh government to establish the Agritech Hub.

Industry partners have also joined us in this effort. It’s a combined initiative of industry, academic institutions, and government agencies to leverage expertise from various sectors. Our goal is to handle everything from genomic sequencing calculations to practical field applications.

We expect to incubate 70 to 80 startups over the next five years and generate about 50 patents. This will drive deep tech innovation in agriculture.

Importantly, our work won’t be limited to Madhya Pradesh. We plan to disseminate these innovations across other geographical regions in India, combining technical resources and expertise in one location to empower both farmers and the government.

Also Read: KELTRON – A Glorious Legacy in India’s Tech Evolution

Q. Madhya Pradesh has launched the ‘Jal Darpan Portal’ for real-time monitoring of rural tap-water schemes, a first in India. How does the department plan to integrate this system with other digital initiatives to ensure comprehensive water resource management?

There are two or three key resources people look for—water supply and energy supply, mainly electricity. Fortunately, Madhya Pradesh is a pioneer in this area because all these initiatives require a strong GIS backbone. Without GIS, you simply can’t manage these resources effectively.

The second key aspect is developing websites, portals, and apps to enable real-time information upload and two-way communication. Madhya Pradesh is unique because we have an in-house agency—the Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation (MDSEDC)—that handles all software development. So, when the department requests a system, we start working immediately without the delays of tendering processes or setting up project management units (PMUs).

Many states face delays because they first establish PMUs, then issue RFPs, onboard companies, and manage endless change requests—this process often takes at least six months and leads to disputes. In Madhya Pradesh, since development is done by a government agency on a nomination basis, we’re open to any change requests and keep upgrading the system continuously.

Typically, within two months of deciding to move forward, our apps and websites become operational. The system is modular, allowing incremental improvements based on feedback from users and departments. We’re not limited by the number of change requests because we have the resources to redeploy as needed to meet urgent requirements.

Beyond mapping water supply, we also map every water body to monitor encroachments, groundwater recharge, and capacity. We’re working to rejuvenate around 200 river systems originating in Madhya Pradesh, protecting and conserving them with active people’s participation.

This is a well-planned, scientific, continuous effort designed to create accountable, monitorable water resource management— not just a one-time initiative.

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