Minister of State (IC), Ministry of DoNER, Jitendra Singh on September 16 observed that despite pro-active Center’s policies on both social and economic front including all possible encouragements to States and UTs for improving ease of doing business from Union government, most of these have failed to march on it as per its aspirations as a result a few of them have been acknowledged as investment and investors friendly states barring a State like Maharashtra and the like.

Addressing ‘Chief Secretaries’ Conclave : Making New India by 2022-Role of States’ under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singh asked the top bureaucracy that was present on the occasion from across the states to take note of it and be instrumental in bringing about transformational changes in ease of doing business in their respective states as it is the top bureaucracy rather than polity that can ensure better use of doing business to make India an industrial hub with spurring up Make in India as well as make for India.

The Minister called upon the top layer of bureaucracy present at Chief Secretaries’ Conclave here to desist from saying “Yes Minister” to their respective polity to continue to be in their good books and make a shift in their approach and stand by insisting on “No Minister” if any economic, social and other political decisions do not conform to the interest of States in terms of its economic and social uplift.

Singh expressed disappointments over poorer improvements on ease of doing business in States, lamenting that the issue has not been picked up with required pace by vast number of states and UTs and the bureaucracy and the polity need to pull up their socks  on this front so that States and UTs attract investments and create jobs with increased economic activities and stoke Make in India though some States and UTs have definitely responded on the subject with pro-active measures.

“Since I am also in-charge of Department of Personnel, I wish to bring it to the attention of the nation that at recently passed out civil services professionals from Lal Bahaduri Shastri Academy, Mussoorie for the year 2017 over 75 per cent leading luminaries in the lot was drawn from leading medical and engineering institutions, which force me to think and air my views that engineering and medical professionals ought to take up jobs of start up ventures as is being promoted under current regime,” said Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant emphasized saying that India would have to grow at the rate of 9-10 per cent for three decades to emerge a leading economy of the world for which States would have to improve ease of doing business otherwise the Centre would name and shame them for their better and poorer performance on this front.

Among the top bureaucracy that had gathered on the occasion from different States consisted of Chief Secretary (Uttar Pradesh) Rajiv Kumar, who said that the state government would torn its physical secretary into e-secretariat from January 2018 to faster facilitate industrial proposal for their quicker implementation whereas Chief Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh, Sakuntala Gamlin held that with faster infrastructure development in the state, it would soon become an attention to investors and invited PHD Chamber to open up its office in the State.

Principal Secretary-cum-Resident Commissioner (Karnataka) Nilaya Mitash emphasized that the State is launching massive reforms in all segments of economic activities particularly education and higher education.

Industries and Commerce Secretary (Punjab) Rakesh Kumar Verma who also spoke on the occasion disclosed that Skill University would come up in the Punjab to integrate its youth to all that what is happening across the world on skill fronts.  Whereas, Skill Development-cum-Technical Education Secretary (Odisha) Sanjay Kumar Singh informed that Odisha would produce skills that would need no monitoring and mentoring. Additional Chief Secretary of Industries & Commerce (Assam) Ravi Capoor was of the view that ever since the new government has come in to place, Assam and the entire northern eastern has been witnessing greater Philip in infrastructure which would finally link India to ASEAN.

Those that represented industry on the occasion consisted of President, Sr. Vice President, Vice President, Chairman, SDC and Secretary General of PHD Chamber Gopal Jiwarajka, Anil Khaitan, Rajeev Talwar, Sharad Jaipuria and Saurabh Sanyal.