Gujarat CM announces formation of AI task force to accelerate administrative reforms at 11th Chintan Shibir

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], November 23 : At the conclusion of the 11th 'Chintan Shibir', organised by the Gujarat government, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday announced the formation of an Artificial intelligence (AI) Task Force aimed at accelerating administrative reforms and public welfare schemes in the state. The task force will leverage technology to ensure greater speed, efficiency, and transparency. By harnessing the potential of technology, the task force will support the realization of the saturation approach, aimed at covering 100 per cent of the beneficiaries, as per an official release.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister digitally unveiled the Chintan Shibir logo. During the closing ceremony, held on the third and final day of the 11th Chintan Shibir amid the divine grace of Somnath Mahadev, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reiterated Gujarat's unwavering commitment to fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a saturation approach. This approach will ensure the benefits of public welfare schemes reach all eligible beneficiaries through the extensive use of technology, elevating Gujarat's developmental trajectory, stated the release.
In the concluding session of the Chintan Shibir, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel encouraged senior secretaries, district collectors, and development officers to enhance the application of AI in key sectors such as malnutrition, education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, employment, and public grievance redressal. To facilitate this, a high-level task force will be established, which will present its recommendations within a month. These recommendations will guide the state government's focus on achieving sustainable development through AI and data analytics. The Chief Minister also emphasized that Chintan Shibir, initiated in 2003 under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has led to transformative administrative reforms, positioning Gujarat as a model state and a growth engine for the nation, stated the release.
Additionally, the Shibirs have become a catalyst for technology-driven governance. He reiterated that development is an ongoing journey and that the discussions fostered through collective thinking and brainstorming offer new perspectives and directions for progress. The Chief Minister highlighted that elected officials are collaborating as a team to advance the development of Gujarat. He highlighted that the government system should be so effective that wrongdoers fear its authority. He further clarified that while mistakes made with genuine intentions can be forgiven, those stemming from malicious intent will never be tolerated. Encouraging employees to embrace the path of Karma Yog, the Chief Minister urged them to apply the six principles of Karma Yog in their lives, stated the release.
He emphasized that these principles are deeply interconnected, and the practice of even one principle can have a profound impact on a person's personality and character. Bhupendra Patel stressed the importance of sharing timely information with the public about the government's important and beneficial work while promoting a positive approach in the face of negativity. In the era of social media, where information spreads quickly, he stated that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that true and positive information reaches people promptly, counteracting any misinformation, stated the release.
In addressing societal incidents, the Chief Minister urged that any mistakes be swiftly rectified, while also fostering an approach to prevent such errors from occurring in the future. The group discussion sessions held during the three-day Chintan Shibir focused on four key issues such as creating employment opportunities, increasing income in rural areas, saturation in government services, and the role of district and local self-government institutions in tourism development, added the release.
The Chief Minister encouraged the swift implementation of these recommendations at the district level. He urged each district collector and development officer to identify three projects from these recommendations in their district, take prompt action, and regularly review their progress. The Chief Minister emphasized that all development work should be carried out with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. The Chief Minister emphasised the important role of district administration in connecting the village level to the state government and urged officials to ensure no gap between them, as per the release.
He further noted that when issues of interpretation or misunderstandings arise in daily administrative work, the Chintan Shibirs have proven to be an essential platform for collectively reflecting on and resolving such challenges. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Chief Minister underlined the importance of continuous reflection to move from 'Viksit Gujarat' to 'Viksit Bharat,' with Gujarat leading the way in development. He also emphasized that Chintan Shibir should be viewed as an ongoing process for personal and professional growth, the release said.
On this occasion, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghvi congratulated the district administration for the successful organization of the 11th Chintan Shibir and conveyed his best wishes for the successful implementation of the new ideas generated during the event. While delivering the vote of thanks for the 11th Chintan Shibir at the state level, Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department, Kamal Dayani, expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, all Cabinet members, senior secretaries, district collectors, and DDOs for their active participation in the group discussions. He commended the valuable recommendations shared during the sessions and emphasized that optimal results can be achieved through proper coordination and cooperation between various government departments and offices, extending up to the district level, said the release.
Kamal Dayani encouraged all participants to adopt and implement the new approaches and ideas presented during the Chintan Shibir and continue making progress. He also thanked Harit Shukla, Principal Secretary of the General Administration Department, the Gir Somnath District Collector, and the entire district administration for their efforts in organizing the successful event. The concluding ceremony of the Chintan Shibir was attended by Minister of Finance and Energy Kanubhai Desai, State Cabinet Ministers, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr Hasmukh Adhia, Chief Secretary Raj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, as well as District Collectors and District Development Officers of the State Government, the release added.