Tamil Nadu becomes 1st state with Policies on Ethical AI, Blockchain and Cybersecurity

On September 19, 2020 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM) Edappadi K Palaniswami released Tamil Nadu Cyber Security Policy 2020, Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy 2020 and Tamil Nadu Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020(Nicknamed as ABC Policies) while participating in the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) ‘Connect 2020’ event through video conference. It became the first state in the country to release policies on Ethical AI, Blockchain and Cybersecurity.

Tamil Nadu Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020:

i.The Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy will promote investments in AI Research & Development in Tamil Nadu.

ii.It will provide a framework for inclusive, safe and ethical use of AI in Government domains. It will also build fairness, equity, transparency and trust in AI assisted decision making systems.

To Guide the Policymakers:

Tamil Nadu has become the first state to come out with a policy which will explore the positives and negatives of emerging technologies like AI to guide the policymakers.

i.It will recommend a six-dimensional TAM-DEF Framework for evaluation of the AI-based systems.

ii.TAM-DEF (Transparency & Audit, Accountability & legal issues, Misuse Protection, Digital divide and Data deficit, Ethics, and Fairness and equity). 

DEEP-MAX:

i.It also recommends the use of DEEP-MAX scorecard, to provide a path for guiding the roll-out of AI solutions.

ii.DEEP-MAX Scorecard is a transparent point-based rating system for AI Systems on the seven key parameters of Diversity, Equity, Ethics, Privacy and Data Protection, Misuse Protection, Audit and Transparency, Digital Divide and Data Deficit (Cross Geography and Cross-Society applicability and performance of AI System). 

Note-It will aim for the adoption of AI in the Government’s Legislature, the Judiciary and the Executive. 

Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy 2020:

i.This policy will bring transparency and efficiency to government processes, and will play a huge role in e-governance. 

ii.It will also help in adding a Blockchain Backbone infrastructure (network) for Tamil Nadu.

iii.The Blockchain Backbone infrastructure would function as a single source of truth and trust anchor for government processes and data.

iv.It will be vital in reimagining governance and encouraging adoption of Blockchain within the state.

Tamil Nadu Cyber Security Policy 2020:

i.The Cyber Security Policy will define the overall scope of the cybersecurity-related agencies in the state through the formation of Security Architecture Framework of Tamil Nadu. 

ii.It has been drafted by ELCOT (Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd) in association with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

iii.The security policies of each department will follow the Guidelines and Best Practices under this policy. 

iv.Under this policy, there will be a procurement policy to create and maintain testing infrastructure and facilities for IT Security, e-Mail and e-Mail Retention Policy.  They will also form a social media policy to determine how government departments and its employees conduct themselves in the Web.

Knowledge Proof Identity Based Services Delivery Project:

This project will change the way government services are offered to citizens.

It will be implemented by establishing and using the State Family DataBase (SFDB) and Block-Chain Backbone infrastructure.

Recent Related News:

i.On May 27, 2020, Industry and the economy are being hit by the increasing coronavirus (COVID-19) impact in Tamil Nadu (TN) & in the meantime, the state Government is taking various measures to restore the industry which has been hit by the virus.

ii.On July 09, 2020, According to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Tamil Nadu (TN) has topped market borrowings among States in India with a collection of Rs. 30,500 crores in the fiscal 2020-21(FY 21).

About Tamil Nadu:
Capital – Chennai
Governor – Banwarilal Purohit