Chief Minister Omar Abdullah calls for inclusive growth, says ‘Viksit Bharat’ possible only when every region progresses

• Addresses National Governance Conference in Jammu; advocates bottom-up governance, technology-driven reforms

JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asserted that the vision of Viksit Bharat can only be realised through inclusive and equitable development across every state and region of the country, emphasising that progress confined to select pockets would leave the national dream unfulfilled.

He was addressing the day-long National Governance Conference on “Holistic Development of Districts: Transforming Governance for Viksit Bharat”, organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances 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 Dr.Jitendra Singh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Jugal Kishore, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Secretary DARPG Rachna Shah, Additional Secretary DARPG Puneet Yadav, Joint Secretary DARPG Sarita Chauhan, Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department M Raju, senior IAS and JKAS officers, retired civil servants and participants from across the country were present on the occasion.

In his keynote address, the Chief Minister said, “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 a handful of states or regions.”

Stressing the importance of balanced growth, he remarked that from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Assam in the east, Gujarat in the west and Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the south, every region must experience tangible progress. “Unless all of us see that development and that progress, Viksit Bharat will remain a dream and merely a slogan,” he cautioned.

Highlighting the pathway to national transformation, the Chief Minister advocated a bottom-up governance model. “India develops through conferences like this and through taking a ground-up approach rather than a top-down approach,” he observed.

He underlined that development must be anchored in good governance at the district level. “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 optimistically.

The Chief Minister noted that such conferences help policymakers and administrators avoid “reinventing the wheel” by facilitating the exchange of successful models and innovations.

“For far too long, we lived in silos where sharing information was discouraged rather than encouraged,” he reflected, adding that recent years have witnessed more collaborative and holistic governance practices.

However, he cautioned that governance challenges rarely have universal solutions. “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 certainly adapt and modify successful practices to suit our local conditions,” he said.

The Chief Minister, who was the guest of honour on the occasion, also spoke extensively about the transformative role of technology in governance. Referring to the shift towards digital administration, he said, “One reform that has made a huge difference is the e-office system. Paper files have virtually disappeared. We have come a long way to a point where I rarely see a paper file.”

He noted that digitisation has enhanced efficiency and accountability, though it has also introduced new challenges. “Every file is now time-stamped. Technology has made life easier but also more transparent and demanding,” he observed.

He further highlighted the use of virtual meetings, which have significantly improved coordination with district administrations. “Earlier, district collectors had to travel to Jammu or Srinagar for meetings, and that would happen once or twice a year. Now it happens at the drop of a hat,” he said, while advising disciplined use of such facilities to avoid unnecessary disruptions to fieldwork.

Emphasising practical reforms, the Chief Minister called for genuine implementation of citizen-centric initiatives. “If we have a single window, it should actually function as a single window,” he remarked candidly. “In my experience, sometimes a single window leads to another window and then a wall behind it. That is not what governance should look like.”

Describing conferences like the present one as platforms for both knowledge-sharing and relationship-building, the Chief Minister said, “These allow us to share best practices, but they also cement relationships. Face-to-face contact makes it easier to maintain communication and coordinate effectively.”

He emphasised that elected representatives and administrators share a common objective. “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 stated.

He said citizens deserve a government that delivers on its promises in education, health, infrastructure and every other sector. Expressing gratitude to the Union Minister for choosing Jammu as the venue, the Chief Minister extended an invitation to hold future conferences in Srinagar. “I hope that maybe next year we can entice you to come to Srinagar and keep this process going,” he said warmly.

Concluding his address, the Chief Minister welcomed all delegates and expressed confidence that the deliberations would contribute meaningfully to strengthening governance frameworks across the country.