On the 2nd day of the 3-day workshop organized by the J&K Planning, Development & Monitoring Department for administration on the theme of ‘Future Ready Governance (FRG)’ and ‘Future Universities’,   Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta remarked that J&K has made bigger strides in adopting technology for taking government to the door steps of people.

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The workshop is being held from 17th to 19th August and featured today discussions on Future Ready Governance, “Pilot Project in Agriculture Department (including Dairy etc) and University of the Future. Anurag Goel, Former Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs GoI, and UN SDG Expert is the Resource person for this workshop attended by the Administrative Secretaries, HoDs and other senior functionaries of the Planning Department.

During his address today the Chief Secretary maintained that the UT has made remarkable progress in putting its right foot ahead by digitizing all of its G2C and G2B services in a span of less than 2 years. He stated that the government is committed to make governance future-ready by integrating use of Artificial Intelligence or APIs for bringing efficiency in its functioning.

Dr Mehta observed that future belongs to technology. He made out that both people and systems out of sync with the evolving technology should be ready to be subservient to those having sway over it. He sensitized each of them to be cognizant of the modern trends and techniques coming up in the field of their concern.

He asked them to enhance their capacities to catch-up with the changes so that future advancements do not push us into the category of tech have-nots. He reiterated that J&K has moved fast apace and has come of ages in bolstering its position as a leader in providing IT based solutions to alleviate most of the sufferings of its population.

Besides mentioning the shooting-up of the number of online services to 675 offered by different government departments here the Chief Secretary also talked about the digitisation of revenue records and other measures like auto-appeal system, e-office, e-tendering, BEAMS and Janbhagadari that have really helped in making the administration most responsive, vibrant, transparent and accountable here.

On the occasion he thanked Anurag Goel for sharing his ideas and expertise with the officers to sensitize them about the future challenges to be faced by the Government. He asked him to help J&K in drawing  way forward in light of its strengths and opportunities.

The Resource person, Anurag Goel gave a brief about the workshop structure, its process and complimented the Jammu and Kashmir administration for achieving remarkable milestones during the last few years.

Goel threw light on different kinds of advancements made world over in the fields of Science and Technology. He exhorted upon all to foresee the future to prepare for it. He stressed on finding solutions based on AI/ML to most of our problems faced today. He observed that everything be it business, education, entertainment or government, technology would change its face beyond our imagination in the decades to come.

He shared his ideas and expertise with the officers to sensitize them about the future challenges to be faced by the Government. He asked them to use their creativity to help J&K transforming through Future Ready Governance in light of its strengths and opportunities.

In his remarks, Administrative Secretary, PD&MD, Dr Raghav Langer remarked that building institutional capacity should be focus of the administration. He observed that SDG Plus will add a new dimension to the implementation of SDGs, without disrupting the existing system, and will lead to quantum jump in performance to the next orbit.