Dr Jitendra addresses Bhubaneswar National meet, proposes ‘Governance Index’ for States

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh on thursday underscored the sweeping governance reforms ushered in under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, calling them not only administrative milestones but socio-economic game-changers that have redefined citizen-government relations in India.

Speaking at the two-day National Conference on “Good Governance Practices” organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, Dr. Jitendra Singh noted that 29 out of the 41 such conferences held since Independence had taken place in the last decade alone – a testimony to the Modi Government’s “perform, reform, transform” mantra.

Addressing an audience comprising senior bureaucrats from the Centre and states, the Minister highlighted that the reforms since 2014 had impacted governance at four levels: administrative transformation, socio-economic upliftment, shift in public mindset, and creation of global best practices. “These reforms were not only overdue since Independence but also reflect a bold departure from status-quoist governance,” he said.

Recalling Odisha’s resilience and academic heritage, Dr. Jitendra Singh praised Bhubaneswar for blending cutting-edge technology with cultural continuity. He cited initiatives like Swamitva, CPGRAMS, and digital life certificates as illustrations of “Citizen First” reforms that leverage technology to empower individuals and eliminate outdated practices. “You’ve made the citizen the master of his destiny,” he remarked, citing the use of drones to map land ownership and reduce reliance on traditional patwari systems.

Drawing attention to the abolition of over 1,500 obsolete rules, many colonial in origin, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the government today takes pride not in introducing new laws but in scrapping redundant ones. “We’ve removed laws that once allowed imprisonment for unsanitary toilets. They may have had context 200 years ago, but have no place in today’s India,” he said.

The Minister also credited DARPG Secretary V. Srinivas for turning the once-obscure department into a hub of innovation, citing successful experiments like the Swachhata Abhiyan e-scrap drives which raised over ₹1,100 crore for the exchequer.

The conference, which includes presentations by award-winning district collectors and showcases Prime Minister’s Awarded Initiatives, featured models from Rajkot, Koraput, Kupwara, Gomati, and others. Discussions spanned themes from aspirational blocks to state-level innovations, such as Odisha’s tech-enabled service delivery and Assam’s SHIKSHA SETU programme.

Dr. Jitendra Singh proposed introducing governance performance parameters for states on the lines of existing district-level rankings. “Healthy competition among states and a focus on aspirational blocks could be key to achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he said.

In a candid reflection, he emphasized the importance of involving newly recruited officers in this journey. “Many of our best-performing aspirational districts had collectors in their first postings – they bring drive, vision and will see India into 2047,” he noted.

The conference continues tomorrow with presentations on innovation models and concludes with a valedictory session followed by a field visit to Puri.