Addressing the Chief Secretaries' conference, PM Modi emphasised developing Human Capital and strengthening cooperative federalism for Viksit Bharat. He called for a focus on quality manufacturing, skills, tourism, and sports to achieve national goals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi on Sunday. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi, from December 26 to 28. The Prime Minister observed that this conference marked another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Focus on Human Capital
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, the Prime Minister 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. Prime Minister said that 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.
'Made in India' and Aatmanirbharta
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 further 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, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.
Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthening our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.' 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.
Key Development Strategies
Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education, he also suggested that academia and industry collaborate to develop high-quality talent.
Boosting Tourism
Regarding youth livelihoods, the Prime Minister noted that tourism can play a significant role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with the potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to develop a roadmap to create at least one global-level tourist destination and to nurture an entire tourist ecosystem.
Preparing for Global Sports Events
PM Modi said that it is essential to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare its infrastructure and sports ecosystem to meet international standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get the desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at the local and district levels, and maintaining player data, will create a vibrant sports environment.
Economic Growth and Sectoral Focus
PM Modi said that India would soon launch the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must prioritise this and build infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said it included the Ease of Doing Business, particularly with respect to land, utilities, and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost 'Ease of Doing Business' and strengthen the services sector.
Strengthening the Services Sector
In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc., to make India a Global Services Giant.
Revitalising Agriculture and Addressing Low Performance
Prime Minister also emphasised that, as India aspires to be the world's food basket, we need to shift to 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. Similarly, in learning outcomes, States must recognise the 100 lowest-performing districts and work to address issues related to low performance.
Leveraging Technology and Heritage
PM also urged the States to use the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitise manuscripts. He said that States may start an Abhiyan to digitise such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitised, AI can be used to synthesise the available wisdom and knowledge.
Strengthening Governance and Implementation
Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India's tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.
Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from the Chief Secretaries' and DGPs' Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation. The Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.
Capacity Building, AI, and Cybersecurity
The Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare a capacity-building plan in consultation with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that the use of AI in governance and cybersecurity awareness is a pressing need. States and the Centre must prioritise cybersecurity to ensure the security of every citizen. The Prime Minister said the technology can provide secure, stable solutions throughout our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to improve governance quality.
Creating Actionable Plans
In the conclusion, the Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference, with 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year target timelines, in which technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.
Conference Deliberations and Outcomes
The three-day Conference emphasised key themes, including Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities, recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready workforce. The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, with the Centre and States coming together with a shared commitment to turn ideas into action.
The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens' lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.
The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation, and on Ayush for All, with an emphasis on integrating knowledge into primary healthcare delivery. The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact.
The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. The focus was on simplifying processes, leveraging technology, and ensuring last-mile reach so that the benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent, and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States; Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World-Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left-Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.
The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials from all States/Union Territories, domain experts, and senior officers at the Centre. (ANI)
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