Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 4 (ANI): In a landmark development poised to reshape India's digital future, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday laid the foundation stone of the nation's first Artificial Intelligence-based Data Center Park in Sector-22 of Nava Raipur.

The park, spread across 13.5 acres, marks a historic stride in India's ambitions to become a global digital powerhouse.

The Data Center Park will include a 2.7-hectare area developed as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Operated by RackBank Datacenters Private Limited, the project is fully dedicated to AI-based services.

The first phase will begin with a capacity of 5 megawatts and is planned to be expanded up to 150 megawatts.

An additional investment of approximately Rs 2000 crore is anticipated in the future. Designed with a focus on environmental protection, the center will follow green and energy-efficient technologies.

In addition to data storage and processing, the park will provide advanced services in fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI), health-tech, defence, fin-tech, and data analytics. It will house GPU-based high-end computing infrastructure, recording, live data streaming, and AI processing facilities of global standards.

The project is expected to generate around 500 direct and 1,500 indirect employment opportunities, with priority given to local youth.

This initiative will not only establish Chhattisgarh as a leader in the tech sector but will also open new avenues for local talent. Services like GPU-based computing, AI processing, data analytics, and live streaming will be available under one roof.

'This is not just a data center; it's the digital backbone for a new era of growth and empowerment,' said CM Sai.

He also called it transformational for the state's youth, farmers, and tribal communities and expressed confidence that Chhattisgarh will now become the heartbeat of Digital India.

According to officials, the data center park will create thousands of jobs in IT, data analytics, and technical support. Youth from Chhattisgarh will now be able to build careers in technology without needing to migrate to cities like Delhi or Mumbai.

AI technology will help farmers with smart farming, accurate weather forecasting, and crop management, leading to better yields and improved incomes, they said, adding that remote tribal regions will gain easy digital access to education, healthcare, and government services.

The park will handle both national and international data traffic, accelerating government service delivery and making the state digitally self-reliant, they added. (ANI)