Two-day national conference on ‘Good Governance’ begins in Bhubaneswar

The two-day National Conference on ‘good governance practices’ commenced on Thursday at the State secretariat here with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh, jointly inaugurating the conference, setting the tone for collaborative, technology-enabled governance.

“Odisha is making rapid strides in administrative transformation, from paperless budgeting to digital grievance redressal mechanisms. The State is proud to contribute not just as a host but as an active partner in India’s journey towards responsive and transparent governance,” Chief Minister Majhi said on the occasion.

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The Chief Minister cited flagship initiatives like the Odisha Secretariat Workflow Automation System (OSWAS) and the innovative ‘Work Passbook’ as models of increased transparency, efficiency, and citizen engagement. He called for a shift from “bureaucracy to responsiveness, from files to data, and from compliance to outcomes.”

“This conference is not just an event—it’s an opportunity to shape the future of Indian governance. Let it be a milestone on our path toward a New India that is efficient, equitable, and empathetic,” CM Majhi added.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh stressed the importance of regional collaboration in governance reform.

“Good governance means turning every challenge into an opportunity. By holding these conferences across different states, we ensure that governance models are both locally relevant and nationally cohesive,” he said.

The inaugural session also featured an address by Surendra Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of General Administration & Public Grievance, and Puneet Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). The conference is being attended, among others, by ministers, senior bureaucrats, and top-ranking officers of various states.

Jointly organised by DARPG and the Odisha government, the conference is being attended by over 400 delegates from across the country. The event serves as a platform for sharing best practices, innovations, and policy insights aimed at strengthening governance frameworks nationwide.