Maharashtra will soon draft its independent Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy to position the state as a major player in the sector and a leader in technological advancements, a minister has said. State Information and Technology Minister Ashish Shelar gave the direction to authorities during a meeting with IT Department officials at the Sahyadri Guest House on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by IT Department Secretary Parrag Jaiin Nainutia, MahaIT Managing Director Jayshree Bhoj, and senior officials from the departments concerned. During the meeting, Shelar stressed the importance of leveraging AI to boost industries, attract businesses, create employment opportunities, and establish Maharashtra as a major player in the AI sector, an official statement said. He said the AI era has begun and that the state must seize this opportunity. "By adopting AI, we can drive economic growth, generate jobs for the youth, and strengthen our position in the global AI landscape," he said.