Goa could be among first 2 states to implement satellite-based internet connectivity
Panaji: Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte said the state government will soon launch an AI chatbot integrated with the Goa Online portal to enable delivery of government services through WhatsApp.
Speaking at the launch of the Goa Startup Accelerator Programme on Thursday, Khaunte said the chatbot would guide citizens through government services and allow real-time tracking of applications.
“We are launching the AI chatbot in a few days,” he said. The Goa Startup Accelerator Programme, scheduled to run from February to June, is a five-month initiative aimed at providing startups with mentoring and growth support. The programme will conclude with a Demo Day where participating startups will present their work.
Khaunte said the government was also exploring satellite-based internet connectivity through Starlink.
“We have been working with Starlink with the MoU to look at the feasibility,” he said.
He added that if the study establishes feasibility and receives approval from the central government for spectrum allocation, Goa could be among the first two states in the country to implement the service.
Referring to fibre connectivity, he said the government was working on a new public-private partnership model to expand last-mile connectivity across the state. He said the existing agreement with UTL was being extended and restructured to strengthen broadband coverage and move closer to the goal of providing fibre connectivity to every household.
Khaunte also said a hybrid IT park would be set up at Porvorim to provide space for network-based industries. He said the proposed facility would form part of the state’s efforts to strengthen the startup ecosystem by improving infrastructure and connectivity.
Highlighting the startup landscape, Khaunte said Goa has 734 startups registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, of which 347 are women-led enterprises. He said the government was working with academic institutions and industry stakeholders to strengthen the ecosystem through revisions to existing schemes and the introduction of four new components under the startup policy.
He further said the state’s AI Mission 2027 would focus on developing an AI-ready workforce through educational institutions, positioning Goa as a testing ground for startups, launching the Goa AI Innovation Fund, and creating common infrastructure such as electronic manufacturing clusters and AI centres.
Khaunte said technology would play a central role in Goa’s development roadmap and linked the state’s digital initiatives with the national goal of achieving a developed India by 2047 and Goa’s development targets for 2037.
