DHARAMSHALA/SHIMLA: Prime Minister Narender Modi said every state must recognize its strength and define targets. This revelation is crucial for India to become a 5-Trillion dollar economy. He bats for use of  Drone  technology to deliver services to farmers and others in Himalayan states. 

Prime minister said this while chairing the first national conference of chief secretaries that concluded in Dharamshala on Friday.  

Prime Minister said in the successive sessions they had productive deliberations, exchanged views on important policy issues  including leveraging technology and strengthening our economy.

On the third day, sessions on improving access to and quality of higher education and enhancing urban governance through urban planning and municipal finance were held.

Participants discussed and underscored the need for greater Centre-state coordination for ensuring the saturation of government schemes and last-mile delivery and capacity building of civil servants through Mission Karamayogi.

Appreciating the extensive sessions, the Prime Minister said the deliberations were useful in laying out a roadmap for the sectors.

Modi  stressed that the Centre and states work together as Team India. The action points and fresh ideas discussed at the conference must be implemented without delay, he said.

Emphasizing minimum government and maximum governance, the Prime Minister stressed the need to ensure greater ease of living in India.

He also said that decriminalization of minor offences should be taken up in mission mode. 

He said states must optimally utilize the GeM portal for purchases made by their departments and local bodies, which would result in time and cost savings.

Deliver Service Through Drones in Hill Areas

Prime Minister also spoke on the usage of drones in the service industry, such as for the delivery of essential drugs or horticultural products especially in hilly areas, which would add more economic value to the farmers and service providers.

Urging that all vacancies across state government departments must be filled, Prime Minister said the states must identify such vacancies under each sector and fill them. 

In order to achieve the goals of the National Education Policy, the Prime Minister said the states must try to integrate anganwadis with primary schools.

Improve Municipal Finances and Wards  

Prime Minister appreciated the initiatives being taken by the states to improve municipal finances. The states and UTs have shared unique experiences, and the ideas discussed at the conference must be incubated and institutionalized. Modi said.

Prime Minister recommended the introduction of technology and innovative methods for increasing the efficiency of the collection of taxes.

He also suggested that city and ward beautification competitions should be held by the states.

Five Trillion Economy

Prime Minister said every state must recognize its strength, define its targets and develop a roadmap to achieve the same.

“This is essential for India to become a 5-trillion-dollar economy. Urban areas will be key in future development and employment generation”.

Therefore, urban local bodies must be strengthened, and urban planning should be done innovatively”, he added.

How to Attract Investment in India?  

To attract investment in the country, the Prime Minister said the PM-GatiShakti should be appropriately implemented. For this they need to improve  usage of technology in all Government schemes and programmes and creating datasets of the Centre and states that can be  operated among them, he suggested.  

Prime Minister said all new ideas and actionable points must be taken forward, incubated and institutionalized. He said the need of the hour is to perform, reform and transform.

The participants appreciated the Prime Minister for his participation in the conference. They praised the Prime Minister for showing keen interest in different sessions of the conference in the true spirit of Team India.

The participants also said that the conference has helped them get insightful suggestions and new ideas.

After careful deliberation, suggestions were put forth to work in the areas of agriculture, education and urban governance. Innovative ideas and best practices were discussed for improving citizens’ welfare.

NITI Aayog’s Governing Council Meeting would firm up  road map for collaborative exercise between the Centre and the states for these three sectors, the participants asserted.  

Several officials including young district collectors and magistrates from the states and union territories as well as the Union ministries attended the conference.