Artificial intelligence, rural economy and the changing demands of governance took centre stage as the third edition of the Chhattisgarh cabinet’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ began at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Raipur, on Saturday.
The two-day training programme, organised by the state’s Good Governance and Convergence Department in collaboration with IIM Raipur, is aimed at equipping ministers with modern administrative practices and preparing them to address emerging governance challenges.
Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai described the training camp as a necessity in changing times, saying governments must continuously learn, assess their performance and prepare for future challenges.
“The objective is to make governance more effective, innovation-driven and result-oriented while advancing the vision of a developed Chhattisgarh,” Sai said.
The first day’s deliberations focused on transforming governance from a routine administrative exercise into a trained, accountable and result-oriented system aligned with the national vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
The programme began with by motivational speaker and spiritual mentor Gaur Gopal Das’s session on how the role of a public representative goes beyond departmental responsibilities. He interacted with ministers on leadership, life values, emotional balance and sensitivity in public life.
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It also underlined that the quality of governance depends not only on policies and welfare schemes but also on the vision, integrity and decision-making abilities of those responsible for implementing them.
Technology and future governance emerged as another key area of discussion on the inaugural day.
Senior administrator Abhay Karandikar spoke on the growing role of artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making and digital governance. He highlighted how technology could improve the efficiency and responsiveness of public service delivery, particularly in remote and tribal regions.
NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, during a session on agriculture and the rural economy, stressed the need to increase rural incomes, strengthen agricultural value chains, promote local enterprises and adopt a village-centric development model.
The discussion highlighted the importance of agriculture, villages and forest produce to Chhattisgarh’s economy and the need to keep farmers and the rural economy at the centre of policymaking for sustainable development.
The changing situation in Bastar also figured prominently in the deliberations. With the security situation improving, the government’s focus is increasingly shifting towards development in the region.
The next phase in Bastar is expected to centre on infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, investment and livelihood generation, requiring faster public service delivery and a more responsive governance model.
The training programme also aims at strengthening political and administrative leadership, improving policy formulation, promoting innovation and enhancing coordination among government departments to meet rising public expectations.
