J&K to be key player in India's ‘Viksit Bharat’ story: Dr Jitendra

Jammu, Mar 3: Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday stated that Jammu and Kashmir had the potential to be a key player in India's “Viksit Bharat” story and a close partner with the central government in the writing of India's growth story.

Delineating key governance reforms in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 11 years, he revealed that the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in Union Ministry of Personnel had helped J&K government develop e-office, thereby saving crores of rupees incurred in transport of all the office files to and fro - between Jammu and Srinagar- during each Durbar move.

Dr Jitendra was addressing the “National Governance Conference” on the theme “Holistic development of districts” in the presence of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah; Chief Secretary J&K, Atal Dulloo; Secretary Personnel Government of India Rachna Shah and other senior officers from the Central and the UT governments.

In the months and years to come, with respect to J&K, the Union Minister said, “A tripartite MoU, among the Government of J&K, Centre’s Capacity Building Commission and SPV of “Mission Karmayogi”, has been finalised to take over 3.6 lakh J&K government employees on the iGOT platform for continuous real-time capacity building for the assignments that they take up. Besides, AI integration of the JK-IGRAM redressal system is being taken up.”

Dr Jitendra, who is also the Union Minister of State (independent charge) Science & Technology and the MoS for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, expressed confidence that Jammu and Kashmir possessed immense merit and potential and could become a torchbearer in India’s growth story by fully leveraging central initiatives and opportunities.

“The Indian Institute of Public Administration is conducting training programmes for Jammu and Kashmir councils, corporators, PRIs and also for JKAS officers,” he stated.

The Union Minister said that the Centre was taking governance to remote areas to ensure inclusivity and wider participation, moving beyond traditional methods. He said this was part of a conscious effort to transform governance practices in line with the requirements of contemporary India.

Tracing the reform journey since Independence, Dr Jitendra noted that while India adopted a democratic framework early on, a renewed and focused momentum in governance reforms gained impetus in recent years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM emphasised the guiding principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,” underscoring maximum use of technology and minimal human interface to enhance transparency and efficiency, the Union Minister said.

Dr Jitendra pointed out that nearly 90 percent of the Government of India’s work processes were presently online, describing it as the “magic of technology” being put to optimum use.

Initiatives such as the Aspirational Districts Programme were cited as unique examples of competitive and cooperative federalism, encouraging districts to adopt best practices and strive for excellence, he said, adding “High-performing districts are felicitated by the Prime Minister, fostering a culture of performance-based governance.”

He also highlighted major reforms undertaken in the past decade, including the removal of nearly 2,000 outdated rules, many of which had significant socio-economic implications. He spoke about pension reforms that brought greater inclusivity and flexibility, trust-based governance measures such as ending the practice of attestation by gazetted officers and abolishing interviews for certain categories of recruitment to promote transparency and meritocracy.

On grievance redressal, the Union Minister lauded the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), noting that around 90 percent of grievances were addressed within a week. He also cited global success stories such as the Digital Life Certificate enabled through face recognition technology and the widespread adoption of the Unified Payments Interface, which revolutionised digital payments.

Referring to the capacity-building initiative Mission Karmayogi, Dr Jitendra said the shift was from “rule-based” to “role-based” governance.

He also highlighted the annual Swachhata campaign launched in 2021, which led to the disposal of electronic scrap worth approximately Rs 4,200 Cr and the freeing up of nearly 930 lakh square feet of space in government offices.

The Minister further underlined the success of the SVAMITVA Scheme, which was launched in Jammu and empowered rural landowners by providing legal ownership records; the introduction of online RTI, establishment of a Central Administrative Tribunal bench, a Civil Services Examination Centre in Leh, integration of CPGRAMS, and specialized training programmes for JKAS officers among major governance reforms during the last 11 years.

In her address Union Secretary DoPT Rachna Shah stressed the need for governance systems to “adopt, adapt, and reinvent” in the information age. She observed, “Today’s governance must be data-driven, digital, and delivery-focused, as citizens are empowered, aware, and increasingly vocal about transparency, accountability, and efficiency.”

She elaborated on three key pillars of reform. including the strengthening of grievance redress mechanisms through CPGRAMS, with emphasis not merely on disposal but on empathetic, timely and transparent resolution. She said that the platform was being further enhanced with AI tools for intelligent categorization, prioritization, and faster resolution of complaints.

The conference underscored the importance of districts as key administrative units and provided a valuable platform for exchange of best practices, peer learning, and dissemination of innovative governance models to ensure integrated, equitable, and sustainable development across sectors.

The deliberations reaffirmed the collective commitment of the Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to transform governance frameworks and accelerate progress towards a Viksit Bharat.