New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 28 December, chaired the fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi, calling for a strong Centre–state partnership to advance the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
The three-day conference, held from 26 to 28 December, focused on strengthening human capital as a key driver of economic growth and governance reforms.
Addressing senior officials from states and Union Territories, PM Modi highlighted India’s demographic advantage, noting that nearly 70 per cent of the population is of working age.
He said that the country has embarked on a “Reform Express” powered by its youth and urged states to prioritise quality and excellence in governance, service delivery and manufacturing.
PM Modi stressed that ‘Made in India’ should become a global symbol of quality and competitiveness and called for greater self-reliance under the ‘Zero Effect, Zero Defect’ principle.
He asked states to identify products for domestic manufacturing to reduce dependence on imports and support the upcoming National Manufacturing Mission.
During the conference, PM Modi also underlined the need to boost tourism, high-value agriculture and skill development, while urging states to prepare long-term, technology-driven action plans to improve governance and implementation outcomes.
