Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair the fourth National Conference of Chief Secretaries, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on December 14 and 15. The conference aims to strengthen the partnership between the Centre and the state governments, reinforcing cooperative federalism in India.
The first conference was held in June 2022 in Dharamshala, followed by the second and third conferences in New Delhi in January and December 2023, respectively.
The 2024 edition will focus on evolving a unified development agenda and strategic action plan for collective growth in collaboration with state governments. A key theme of the conference will be the promotion of entrepreneurship, skills development, and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities for both urban and rural populations, with a special focus on harnessing India’s demographic dividend.
Under the overarching theme of “Promoting Entrepreneurship, Employment & Skilling – Leveraging the Demographic Dividend,” the conference will address various key sectors. Special attention will be given to six critical areas: Manufacturing, Services, Rural Non-farm Employment, Urban Development, Renewable Energy, and the Circular Economy. These sectors will be discussed in detail, with the aim of sharing best practices and strategies that states and Union Territories can adopt to spur growth and development.
In addition, four special sessions will be organized during the conference. These will cover topics such as “Frontier Technology for Viksit Bharat,” “Developing Cities as Economic Growth Hubs,” “Economic Reforms in States for Investment,” and “Capacity Building through Mission Karmayogi.”
Focused discussions will also be held on important issues like “Atmanirbharata in Agriculture: Edible Oils & Pulses,” “Care Economy for the Ageing Population,” “PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana Implementation,” and “Bharatiya Gyan Parampara.”
The fourth National Conference will see the participation of Chief Secretaries, senior officials from all states and Union Territories, as well as domain experts, who will engage in extensive deliberations to chart a collective path forward for India’s growth and development.