Why in News?
- Haryana government has launched an AI-based Voice Feedback Portal to gather citizen inputs for Budget 2026–27.
- Objective: Formulate a “People’s Budget” through direct public participation.
- Claimed as the first-ever use of Artificial Intelligence for budget consultation within India’s administrative and democratic framework.
- Initiative launched at the instance of Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Minister of Haryana.
Relevance
GS II (Governance & Democracy)
- Participatory democracy and citizen engagement.
- Budget-making as a democratic exercise.
- Role of States as laboratories of governance reform.
GS III (Technology & E-Governance)
- Use of AI in public administration.
- Data-driven policymaking.
- Digital inclusion and exclusion risks.
What is the Initiative?
- An AI-enabled chatbot and voice-based platform allowing citizens to:
- Submit budget-related suggestions.
- Share priorities and grievances.
- Inputs collected live and analysed using AI tools.
- Aims to support data-driven budget formulation.
Institutional Framework
- Implemented through Swarna Jayanti Haryana Institute for Fiscal Management.
- Role:
- Design and operationalise AI-based consultation.
- Aggregate and analyse citizen feedback for policymakers.
Key Features
- Voice-based access:
- Reduces digital literacy barriers.
- Enables participation beyond text-based portals.
- AI-driven analysis:
- Categorisation of suggestions.
- Identification of recurring themes and priorities.
- Real-time feedback loop:
- Faster collation compared to traditional consultations.
Why It Matters?
- Deepening participatory democracy:
- Moves beyond token consultations.
- Gives citizens a direct voice in fiscal decision-making.
- Administrative innovation:
- Demonstrates use of AI in core governance functions.
- Inclusive governance:
- Potential to include rural, semi-literate, and marginalised populations.
Governance Significance
- Marks a shift from:
- Elite-driven budgeting → citizen-informed budgeting.
- Aligns with:
- Digital governance.
- Evidence-based policymaking.
- Sets a precedent for other States and possibly the Union government.
Challenges & Concerns
- Representativeness:
- Risk of over-representation of digitally active groups.
- Data governance:
- Privacy, consent, and ethical use of citizen data.
- Policy translation gap:
- No statutory obligation to incorporate suggestions.
- Algorithmic transparency:
- Need clarity on how AI prioritises and filters inputs.
Way Forward
- Combine AI consultations with:
- Offline public hearings.
- Gram Sabha-level discussions.
- Ensure:
- Transparency on how feedback influences budget allocations.
- Clear data protection safeguards.
- Institutionalise citizen consultation as a regular budgetary process, not a one-off experiment.
