The Illinois Department of Information and Technology (DoIT) has partnered with the State of Telangana, India, to advance their smart state initiatives.
“This agreement brings tremendous opportunities for the citizens of both Illinois and Telangana,” said Hardik Bhatt, secretary designate for DoIT and Illinois state chief information officer. “Gov. [Bruce] Rauner’s administration has placed a strong emphasis on improving technology in Illinois and in the past year, the state has quickly emerged as a leader in the smarter state technology space. Strategic partnerships, such as this one, will advance the benefits for both parties.”
The partnership involves the sharing of best practices, e-governance, joint incubation projects, and strategies for generating employment in both states.
“The key concept is…making our state a smarter state,” said Bhatt. “We are a key customer of these smart cities solutions. We also are a great enabler as it comes to economy because we invest in incubation and innovation; we also influence policy when it comes to education, energy, and others.”
“Illinois has been recognized as the No. 1 state in the country with that smart state aspiration, ambition, and having a framework,” continued Bhatt. “We are also looking to learn from Telangana, because they have a great innovation framework policy.”
