Chhattisgarh govt starts 'Chief Minister Good Governance Fellow Scheme' for youth

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said a 'governance fellow scheme' will be launched in collaboration with Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur.

Under the 'Chief Minister Good Governance Fellow Scheme', a master's course in Public Policy and Governance will be started for native students of Chhattisgarh, with selections being done through CAT, Sai said.

He made the announcement while speaking at the concluding ceremony of the two-day regional conference on 'good governance' in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar in the presence of Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

"Through the scheme, students, along with classes at IIM Raipur, will also be given practical experience in various departments of the state government, which will bear the entire course fee and also provide fixed monthly stipend. The scheme will increase efficiency and transparency in governance and provide youth opportunity for high level education and practical experience," he said.

Its objective is to prepare a generation of professionals in Chhattisgarh who will work in collaboration with the government, NGOs, think tanks and the private sector to improve governance, the CM added.

"The idea of good governance is at the core of our political ideology. What has been called Ramrajya in our Puranas is what we call good governance. 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah' is our motto. Antyodaya and integral humanism are our political philosophy. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee is our inspiration. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are striving for maximum participation of Chhattisgarh in the creation of developed India through good governance," Sai said.

Forty four percent of Chhattisgarh is covered with dense forests and, hence, the state has the responsibility of protecting India's environment and biodiversity, he said.

"It is also our primary duty to protect the tribal culture and traditions of the state. Along with rich mineral wealth, industrial and agricultural expansion, we have also identified the natural and cultural beauty of the state as important resources. We are looking at good governance as an important resource for the social and economic empowerment," Sai added.

We are working towards building a mega tourism circuit in the state, he said.

Sai said his government was ensuring transparency in governance and administration by taking strict action against corruption, while online platforms have been created for services by simplifying processes in all departments.

"It is being ensured that the work of citizens is done within the time limit and they have easy access to governance, complaints are resolved quickly, public participation in development increases, democratic and constitutional institutions are strengthened," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said transparency and accountability are the basic mantras of good governance.

The Narendra Modi government has scrapped more than 2,000 rules and laws in the last 10 years for ease of governance and ease of business Singh said.

"The best practices for good governance adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat are now being used at the Centre. Due to the inspiration of PM Modi, the idea of organizing such conferences outside Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi was mooted," Singh said.

"The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has taken up a new task. A Vision Document-2047 is being prepared. It will have details of what will India be like in 2047 and what will be our role," he added.