NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet state chief secretaries in a three-day conference in the capital from Saturday to discuss state-level deregulation, human capital development, technology in governance and India’s self-reliance and Swadeshi initiatives, an official statement said on Friday.
The Fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries aims to strengthen coordination between the Center and the state on national development priorities, the statement added.
The meeting will serve as a forum for the central and state governments to devise a unified plan to maximize India’s human capital potential and accelerate future-ready inclusive growth. Discussions at the Chief Secretaries’ Conference traditionally help finalize the issues to be discussed in the subsequent meeting between the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of the states during the NITI Aayog board meeting.
Deregulation at the state level is a key priority of the central government as it is expected to improve the investment climate across states.
On human capital development for ‘Viksit Bharat’, discussions will cover early childhood education, schooling, skills, higher education, sports and extra-curricular activities.
“It will pave the way for collective action that moves beyond understanding India’s population as a mere demographic dividend and instead positions citizens as human capital by developing concrete strategies to strengthen education systems, advance skills initiatives and create future-ready employment opportunities across the country,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The meeting will also focus on best practices and strategies for states and union territories to enhance human development, which is critical to building a skilled workforce and enhancing economic performance. Technology in governance will play a significant role as it can improve service delivery, reduce discretion and increase transparency.
Special sessions on deregulation in the states will cover technology in governance, agrostacks for smart supply chains and market connectivity, tourism and self-sufficiency initiatives.
The National Conference of Chief Secretaries has been held annually for the past four years. The first was in Dharamsala in June 2022, followed by three editions in the capital. The event will be attended by chief secretaries, senior officials from all states and union territories and domain experts, the statement said.
