After almost a gap of four years, Chintan Shivir — an annual brainstorming exercise designed for Council of Ministers and other senior State Government functionaries is all set to kick-start from Friday.
The three-day annual event — Chintan Shivir — was the idea of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister in order to make the State administration efficient and proactive. Considered as the pet project of Modi, Chintan Shivir is designed for top State functionaries, including the Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, Secretaries, Collectors and DDOs. Nearly 200 top State functionaries are expected to attend the event.
Modi’s protégé and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel is not reviving the annual event initiated by her mentor. The event will be organised at Mahatma Mandir in State capital Gandhinagar.
“Traditionally it used to hold at different locations away from Gandhinagar during Modi regime. In those days, the Ministers and officials used to travel together in a bus and perform yoga every morning,” said a senior IAS officer, adding that this is for the first time Chintan Shivir is being held at the State capital.
In the upcoming Chintan Shibir, discussion will be held on improving primary education in the State, Human Resource issues in public health, drive against malnutrition and preparedness on M-governance. Besides group discussions will be held on construction of toilets, how to make cleanliness drive successful in the State, improvement in the civic amenities in urban areas, simplification in land related laws, implementation of skill development programs etc.
It was in 2003 that then Chief Minister Narendra Modi decided to turn annual meeting confined to district collectors opening it up to a brainstorming exercise between Ministers and officials. It became an annual feature of Modi Government till 2011.