Maharashtra cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, officially approved the “Maharashtra Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2026” on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
The policy is designed to attract ₹10,000 crore ($1.2 billion) in private investment by 2031 and establish Maharashtra as the “National Centre for Ethical and Inclusive AI Development.”
1. The Seven Pillars of Maharashtra AI
The policy is structured around seven core strategic pillars to modernize the state’s digital economy, currently valued at ₹6 lakh crore.
- State-wide Infrastructure: The state will provide at least 2,000 GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) and launch a “Compute as a Service” platform for all government departments.
- Local Language Data: Development of datasets in Marathi, regional dialects, and tribal languages through a new “State AI Data Exchange.”
- Education & Training: Establishment of the Maharashtra Centre for Advanced AI Training (MCAT) to train 2 lakh youth and professionals.
- MSME Support: A 20% subsidy on AI implementation costs for 5,000 small businesses and the creation of a “Maha AI Tools Hub.”
- Startup Ecosystem: A ₹500 crore Venture Capital Fund (₹250 crore from the state) and 12 new AI incubators.
- Sectoral Excellence: Creation of six Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Health, Agriculture, Education, Urban Development, Marathi Culture, and Finance.
- Ethical Governance: Maharashtra will be the first state to create a dedicated Ethical AI Framework, requiring annual “AI readiness audits” for all departments.
2. Major Incentives for Industry
To achieve the ₹10,000 crore investment goal, the government has introduced several financial sweeteners for AI companies:
| Incentive | Benefit Detail |
| Capital Subsidy | Up to 20% on fixed capital investment. |
| Stamp Duty | 100% remission on stamp duty for AI firms. |
| Electricity | Tariff incentive of ₹2 per unit for 10 years. |
| Patents | Reimbursement of up to ₹8 lakh (Domestic) and ₹10 lakh (International). |
| Startup Grants | Up to ₹1 crore per startup; ₹1.25 crore for women-led startups. |
3. “AI Innovation Cities” & Employment
The policy targets the creation of 1.5 lakh new jobs and the development of five “AI Innovation Cities” across the state. These hubs will serve as integrated campuses for AI research, testing, and industrial deployment.
Additionally, the state plans to develop 50 specific AI use cases and “AI-based agents” to simplify communication between citizens and the government administration.