Union MoS for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, announced that India is progressing into a new phase of governance transformation through Next Generation Administrative and e-Governance Reforms. These reforms are centered around AI and digital platforms, as stated in an official release on Monday. Dr. Singh inaugurated the National Conference on Next Generation Administrative and e-Governance Reforms in Shillong, jointly organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) and the Government of Meghalaya.
The minister emphasized a decade of groundbreaking administrative reforms, including the elimination of nearly 2,000 outdated rules. He stressed the importance of future reforms incorporating artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure, and citizen-centric service platforms. Notable advancements such as more than 56 crore Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar-enabled service delivery, Direct Benefit Transfer, and the Unified Payments Interface have significantly altered the interaction between citizens and the government.
India has emerged as a global leader in digital payments, with UPI processing over 18 billion transactions monthly. The government’s approach has shifted from regulation to facilitation, prioritizing citizens in policy formulation and public service delivery. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has revamped the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) into one of the world’s largest technology-driven grievance platforms.
Annual grievances have surged from approximately 2 lakh in 2014 to nearly 25 lakh presently. The platform now incorporates artificial intelligence through multilingual chatbot services, maintaining a human touch during grievance resolution for enhanced efficiency and empathy. Dr. Singh also highlighted the nationwide Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters and Cleanliness, which has yielded over Rs 4,000 crores by scientifically disposing of scrap and obsolete materials, while reclaiming nearly 700 lakh square feet of office space.
