Calls for district-led reforms, tech-driven governance, inter-state sharing of best practices
Jammu, Mar 03: Asserting that the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047 can only be realised if development reaches every corner of the country, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that inclusive and equitable growth across all states and Union Territories is the cornerstone of a truly developed India.
Addressing the day-long National Conference on “Holistic Development of Districts: Transforming Governance for Viksit Bharat” in Jammu, Abdullah said that progress confined to a handful of states or regions would leave the national dream unfulfilled.
“The truth is that Viksit Bharat or a developed India will only be a reality if all of India develops. A developed India will not become a reality if that development is confined only to select pockets,” the Chief Minister said, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Omar said that unless every region, from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Assam in the east, Gujarat in the west and Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the south experiences tangible development, the idea of Viksit Bharat would remain “a dream and merely a slogan.”
“Unless all of us see that development and that progress, Viksit Bharat will remain unfulfilled,” he said.
Abdullah stressed that development must be anchored in balanced growth and strengthened district-level governance.
Advocating a ground-up approach, the Chief Minister said India’s transformation depends on empowered districts rather than a purely top-down model of governance.
“India develops through conferences like this and by taking a bottom-up approach. If our districts perform, our states and Union Territories perform. If our states perform, our country performs. And if our country performs, the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 may perhaps be realised even before the timeline we have set for ourselves,” he said.
He said that district-level reforms are central to achieving national goals and called for strengthening administrative efficiency at the grassroots.
Omar said such conferences play a crucial role in promoting collaboration and preventing duplication of efforts. “For far too long, governance functioned in silos where sharing information was discouraged. Today, we are moving towards a more collaborative and holistic model,” he said.
He added that successful models from one district or state should be adapted and replicated elsewhere, though solutions must be tailored to local realities.
“There is no quick-fix solution. What works in one state may not work in another. What works in J&K may not work in Gujarat or Maharashtra. But we can adapt and modify successful practices to suit our local conditions,” the CM said.
Highlighting administrative reforms in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah described the transition to the e-office system as a major milestone.
“One reform that has made a huge difference is the e-office system. Paper files have virtually disappeared. I now rarely see a paper file,” he said.
He noted that digitisation has enhanced efficiency, transparency and accountability, with time-stamped file movements ensuring prompt decision-making. In a lighter vein, he remarked that officers sometimes compete to clear files at odd hours to demonstrate efficiency.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the growing use of virtual platforms for official meetings, which has enabled frequent interaction with district administrations without requiring officers to travel to Jammu or Srinagar.
“Earlier, district collectors had to travel once or twice a year for meetings. Now interactions happen at the drop of a hat,” he said, while cautioning against overuse of virtual meetings and stressing disciplined utilisation to avoid disrupting fieldwork.
Stressing practical governance reforms, the CM called for an effective implementation of citizen-centric initiatives. “If we have a single window, it should actually function as a single window,” he said, noting that in some cases, such systems end up adding layers instead of simplifying processes.
He stressed that governance reforms must translate into real ease of access and service delivery for citizens.
The Chief Minister said that elected representatives and administrators share a common objective, ensuring that citizens receive quality services in education, health, infrastructure and other key sectors.
“Whether it is myself, Dr Jitendra Singh Sahab or the Hon’ble MP, we have the same goal as you to ensure that people receive what they expect from us in development, governance and services,” he said.
He added that national-level interactions serve both as knowledge-sharing platforms and as opportunities to strengthen professional relationships, which ultimately help improve coordination and service delivery.
Expressing gratitude to the Union Minister for choosing Jammu as the venue for the conference, the Chief Minister extended an invitation to hold similar events in Srinagar in the future to sustain the momentum of collaborative governance.
The CM further welcomed the delegates and expressed confidence that the deliberations would meaningfully contribute to strengthening governance frameworks across the country and advancing the vision of “minimum government and maximum governance.
Pertinently, the conference was organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Jugal Kishore Sharma, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Secretary DARPG Rachna Shah, Additional Secretary DARPG Puneet Yadav, Joint Secretary DARPG Sarita Chauhan, Commissioner Secretary GAD M Raju, senior IAS and JKAS officers, retired civil servants and participants from across the country were present on the occasion. (KNO)
