MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge

About this grant

The MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge is an initiative launched by the Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS) in collaboration with the General Administration Department (GAD), Government of Maharashtra. The challenge aims to onboard capable Indian startups to design, develop, and deploy an advanced AI-based Government Resolution (GR) Information Management System named “MahaGAD AI Sahayak”. The proposed system is envisioned as an in-house, on-premise, secure, and scalable artificial intelligence platform that will enable efficient search, retrieval, summarization, and contextual interpretation of All India Service (AIS) rules, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) rules, and Government Resolutions (GRs). The solution must support natural language queries in both Marathi and English and provide accurate, source-cited answers to ensure transparency and consistency in administrative decision-making. The platform will function as a conversational AI assistant for government officials, powered by a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture using Large Language Models (LLMs). It must include a secure GR repository, automated document ingestion and indexing pipeline using Elasticsearch or an equivalent vector database, an administrative dashboard for monitoring usage and performance, and analytics for policy-level insights. The system must be deployed in a containerized manner on GPU-based government infrastructure, strictly adhering to Government of Maharashtra IT security and data privacy guidelines. Selected startups will be required to deliver an end-to-end solution covering development, deployment, training, documentation, and long-term maintenance support. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to present their technical approach and demonstrate a live Proof of Concept (PoC) as part of the evaluation process.

Eligibility requirements

All of the following criteria must be met:

• Applicants must be Indian startups recognized under applicable government norms and eligible as per Maharashtra State Innovation Society guidelines. The startup should possess demonstrated expertise in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, large language models, and enterprise-grade software development.
• The applicant must be capable of building multilingual AI systems supporting both Marathi and English, including mixed-language queries. The startup should have experience or readiness to deploy solutions within on-premise government infrastructure, ensuring full data sovereignty with no reliance on external cloud platforms.
• Applicants must be willing to comply with all security, confidentiality, and IT compliance requirements of the Government of Maharashtra. The selected startup must also commit to providing training, documentation, and post-deployment maintenance and enhancement support for a period of up to five years.

What the funding covers

• Funding: Amount Not Specified February 5, 2026

How to apply

1. 1Apply online at https://www.startupgrantsindia.com/mahagad-ai-sahayak-grand-challenge-by-maharashtra-state-innovation-society-msins-337

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