NEW DELHI, AUG 20 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired the third high-level meeting with Secretaries to the Government of India at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, calling for greater engagement between government departments, universities and young people to bring fresh and unconventional perspectives to policymaking.
The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, Secretaries of key Ministries and Departments, and senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office. Secretaries shared their experiences on sectoral priorities, emerging challenges and implementation issues. Discussions focused on the future action agenda of Ministries and Departments dealing with Infrastructure and Connectivity, Security and External Affairs, and Governance. Modi said officials must look beyond immediate issues and statistics and adopt a long-term perspective on how the country’s future should be shaped. Referring to deliberations already held with two groups of Secretaries, he stressed the importance of coordinated policymaking and stronger inter-departmental cooperation.
Highlighting the challenge of overcoming silos, Modi said these were not merely organisational problems but also issues of mindset. He noted that silos could be both horizontal and vertical, and urged officials to take ownership of their responsibilities and work with a spirit of belongingness.
Emphasising collective effort, Modi cited the government’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and the West Asia crisis, when officials across departments worked together effectively. He said such coordination mechanisms should become a natural part of the government’s work culture.
Modi called for effective use of Artificial Intelligence while ensuring human intervention and judgement.
He described data as a national asset and a resource for the future. He noted that the government invests resources in collecting, storing and managing data, but its full potential is not always realised because of departmental silos and fragmented systems. He pointed to differences in how data is collected and managed for various purposes and called for solutions enabling greater interoperability and effective use of data.
He also stressed the importance of research and innovation, including in the defence sector. Modi called for further strengthening India’s defence industry and making it more globally competitive. He emphasised developing innovative defence courses and strengthening human resource development in the sector.
Modi also discussed a comprehensive approach to strengthening India’s maritime sector. Recalling that shipbuilding had been accorded infrastructure status, he called for assessing whether the intended objectives were being achieved in mission mode. He reiterated the need for sustained efforts to strengthen the maritime industry, promote innovation and enhance India’s capabilities in the sector.
The Prime Minister’s emphasis throughout the meeting was on breaking departmental barriers, encouraging wider participation, improving use of technology and data, and adopting a long-term approach to national development.
