Governance reforms focus on ‘ease of living’, transparency: Dr Jitendra

STATE TIMES NEWS

RAIPUR: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, speaking at the two-day Conference on Good Governance, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to simplifying governance, enhancing public service delivery, and ensuring transparency.
Held in collaboration with the Department of Administrative Reforms & Grievance Redressal (DARPG) and the Government of Chhattisgarh, the conference gathered policymakers, bureaucrats, and experts to discuss reforms aimed at improving governance and public service.

Dr. Jitendra, who was the chief guest at the event, highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making governance more accessible and inclusive.
He stressed that holding such conferences outside Delhi, in states like Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, ensures that governance solutions are tailored to regional needs. “This approach fosters collaboration between the Centre and States, ensuring that solutions are locally relevant,” he said.
Dr. Singh outlined key reforms introduced under the Modi government, including the abolition of over 2,000 obsolete rules and regulations, aimed at reducing bureaucratic red tape. A standout reform was the scrapping of the requirement for attested documents, which he described as a gesture of trust in the youth.
The Minister also highlighted the adoption of technology to enhance governance efficiency. One such initiative is the use of face-recognition technology for pensioner verification, which eliminates the need for physical visits or biometric systems. “Pensioners can now complete their verification in seconds with just a mobile phone and camera,” he said.
Another significant reform discussed was the digitization of pension and family entitlement systems, ensuring timely and hassle-free disbursal of benefits. Dr. Jitendra Singh also emphasized the government’s decision to eliminate interviews for Group B and C posts to promote fairness, transparency, and reduce corruption.
The conference also focused on collaborative governance, with Dr. Singh citing the example of Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir working together on river and ocean cleaning initiatives. This, he said, demonstrates the power of knowledge-sharing and cooperation between states to address common challenges.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai of Chhattisgarh, who also addressed the conference, praised the event as an important platform for fostering innovative governance. He emphasized the role of cooperative federalism in solving unique regional challenges and creating replicable governance models.
The discussions centered on the goal of improving “ease of living” for citizens, a core focus of the Modi government. Dr. Singh also touched upon amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act, highlighting that treating the act of giving a bribe as seriously as taking one strengthens transparency and accountability.