STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday inaugurated the 4-day International Conference on Governance dedicated to the theme “Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Reaching the Last Mile” organised jointly by the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) and Department of Administrative Reforms, Govt of India.
The Minister said, in the last 10 years under PM Modi, some of the governance reforms introduced by us like for example, Direct Benefit Transfer, UPI Digital Transaction, Swamitva etc are being emulated by other countries of the world.
The event is an occasion of prestige for India since a conference of this nature is being hosted for the first time in India with participation of nearly 60 countries from across the globe.
Dr Jitendra highlighted the significance of the conference as a platform to explore innovations in public administration, governance, and policymaking.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Singh emphasized the theme of the conference: “Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Reaching the Last Mile.”
Dr. Jitendra Singh also released a Book on “Viksit Bharat @ 2047” themed Governance Transformed.
Dr. Jitendra Singh noted India’s impressive rise in the Global Innovation Index, moving from 81st to 39th place-a leap he described as “quantum.”
The minister further underscored key indicators of the success of India’s next-generation administrative reforms, citing the significant expansion of broadband connectivity, which now covers almost 80% of the population.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also lauded the government’s push towards financial inclusion, citing the rise of digital transactions and direct benefit transfers as key milestones. With 46% of the total digital transactions occurring in India, he mentioned that over 16.8 billion transactions were processed in just one month of October 2024, highlighting the positive socio-economic impact of these reforms.
The Minister praised initiatives under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), including CPGRAMS, one of the best grievance redressal systems in the world. He also pointed to the launch of Right to Information 2.0, a new app enabling citizens to access information with a single click, and Mission Karmayogi, a capacity-building initiative for civil servants.
In line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,” Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to the abolition of interviews for Group C and D employees, emphasizing democratizing governance and providing equal opportunities for all.
The Minister also celebrated India’s breakthroughs in healthcare, including the first indigenous DNA vaccine and India’s first HPV vaccine to combat cervical cancer. He further highlighted the indigenous development of the antibiotic Nafithromycin and the first successful gene therapy trial for hemophilia.
Additionally, he shared that the Department of Atomic Energy installed a Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant at the Kumbh Mela, addressing the daily load of 1 million liters of fecal sludge.
The IIAS-DARPG India Conference 2025 provides an invaluable platform for global scholars, policymakers, administrators, and academics to exchange knowledge and discuss the role of governance, technology, and public administration reforms in improving citizen services and public service delivery.
The conference includes interactive sessions and plenaries, offering valuable insights and collaborative solutions for enhancing governance efficiency worldwide.
The event was attended by key dignitaries, including Ra’ed Mohammed Ben Shams, President of IIAS, and Sofiane Sahraoui, DG IIAS. Other notable attendees included Secretary DARPG V. Shrinivas, DG IIPA S.N. Tripathi and Additional Secretary DARPG Puneet Yadav.