New Delhi [India], December 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi on Sunday. The three-day conference was held at Pusa, Delhi, from December 26 to 28. The Prime Minister observed that the conference marked another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital—comprising knowledge, skills, health, and capabilities—is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach. The conference included discussions around the overarching theme of “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat.”
Highlighting India’s demographic advantage, PM Modi stated that nearly 70 per cent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat. He said India has boarded the “Reform Express,” driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority.
The Prime Minister noted that the conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a significant global economic power. He observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes.
Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery, and manufacturing, PM Modi stated that the label “Made in India” must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness. He stressed the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, reinforcing the commitment to “Zero Defect, Zero Effect.”
He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister also emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies.
In higher education, he suggested stronger collaboration between academia and industry to develop high-quality talent. On youth livelihoods, PM Modi highlighted tourism as a major opportunity, noting that India’s rich heritage and history give it the potential to be among the top global tourist destinations.
He urged States to develop a roadmap to create at least one global-level tourist destination and nurture an entire tourism ecosystem. On sports, the Prime Minister said it is essential to align India’s national sports calendar with the global sports calendar, especially as India is working towards hosting the 2036 Olympics.
PM Modi said infrastructure and the sports ecosystem must meet international standards, and young talent must be identified, nurtured, and trained over the next decade to achieve desired results. Organising sports events at local and district levels and maintaining player data will help create a vibrant sports environment.
The Prime Minister announced that India would soon launch the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM) and said every State must prioritise it by building infrastructure to attract global companies. He emphasised improving Ease of Doing Business, particularly in land, utilities, and social infrastructure.
Calling for greater focus on the services sector, PM Modi said areas such as healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, and AI must be strengthened to make India a Global Services Giant.
As India aspires to become the world’s food basket, the Prime Minister stressed the need to shift towards high-value agriculture, dairy, and fisheries with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity, and similarly urged States to address learning outcomes in the 100 lowest-performing districts.
PM Modi also called upon States to use the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitise manuscripts and suggested launching State-level Abhiyans for this purpose. He said that once digitised, AI can be used to synthesise the wisdom and knowledge contained in these manuscripts.
The Prime Minister noted that the conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue and has become an effective platform for collective deliberation. He urged States to align governance with the outcomes of Chief Secretaries’ and DGPs’ Conferences.
He suggested replicating such conferences at departmental levels to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes. PM Modi also said all States and UTs must prepare capacity-building plans in consultation with the Capacity Building Commission.
Highlighting the importance of technology, the Prime Minister stressed the need for AI use in governance and enhanced cybersecurity awareness. He said technology can provide secure and stable solutions throughout the lifecycle and must be leveraged to improve governance quality.
In conclusion, PM Modi said every State must create 10-year actionable plans with 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year targets, using technology for regular monitoring. The conference emphasised key themes including Early Childhood Education, Schooling, Skilling, Higher Education, and Sports, recognising their role in building a future-ready workforce.
The deliberations reflected the spirit of Team India, focusing on time-bound implementation, citizen-centric governance, institutional strengthening, and data-driven monitoring. Special sessions covered themes such as deregulation, technology in governance, AgriStack, tourism development, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and plans for a post-Left-Wing Extremism future.
The conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials from all States and Union Territories, domain experts, and senior officers at the Centre. (ANI)
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