Transition to e-office, digital governance improved efficiency, transparency in J&K: CM

Jammu, Mar 3: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the transition to e-office and digital governance perked up efficiency and transparency in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that the last few years had witnessed greater cooperation among the governments and thus holistic governance enabling the sharing of best practices across the districts and states, instead of the earlier culture of discouraging sharing of information.

CM Omar was addressing the day-long National Governance Conference on ‘Holistic Development of Districts: Transforming Governance for Viksit Bharat’, organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances under the Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the remarkable shift to e-governance, he said, ìOne reform that has made a huge difference is the e-office system. Paper files have virtually disappeared. We have come a long way to a point where I rarely see a paper file.î

The CM said that digitisation enhanced efficiency and accountability, though it also introduced new challenges. ìEvery file is now time-stamped. Technology has made life easier but also more transparent and demanding,î he said.

CM Omar emphasised that the vision of Viksit Bharat could only be realised through inclusive and equitable development across every state and region of the country.

ìThe progress confined to select pockets would leave the national dream unfulfilled,î he said.

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh, Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Secretary DARPG Rachna Shah, Additional Secretary DARPG Puneet Yadav, Joint Secretary DARPG Sarita Chauhan, and Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department M Raju were present on the occasion.

Delivering his keynote address, the CM said, ìThe truth is that Viksit Bharat or a developed India will only be a reality if all of India develops. A developed India will not become a reality if that development is confined only to a handful of states or regions.î

Stressing the importance of balanced growth, he said that from J&K in the north to Assam in the east, Gujarat in the west and Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the south, every region must experience tangible progress.

ìUnless all of us see that development and that progress, Viksit Bharat will remain a dream and merely a slogan,î CM Omar said.

Highlighting the pathway to national transformation, he advocated a bottom-up governance model.

ìIndia develops through conferences like this and through taking a ground-up approach rather than a top-down approach,î the CM said. He said that development must be anchored in good governance at the district level.

ìIf our districts perform, our states and Union Territories perform. If our states perform, our country performs. And if our country performs, the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 may perhaps be realised even before the timeline we have set for ourselves,î CM Omar said.

He said that such conferences help policymakers and administrators avoid ìreinventing the wheelî by facilitating the exchange of successful models and innovations.

ìFor far too long, we lived in silos where sharing information was discouraged rather than encouraged,î the CM said. “The recent years have witnessed more collaborative and holistic governance practices.”

However, he said that governance challenges rarely have universal solutions. ìThere is no quick fix solution. What works in one state may not work in another. What works in J&K may not work in Gujarat or Maharashtra. But we can certainly adapt and modify successful practices to suit our local conditions,î CM Omar said.

The CM, who was the guest of honour on the occasion, also spoke extensively about the transformative role of technology in governance.

He highlighted the use of virtual meetings, which have significantly improved coordination with district administrations.

ìEarlier, district collectors had to travel to Jammu or Srinagar for meetings, and that would happen once or twice a year. Now it happens at the drop of a hat,î CM Omar said, advising disciplined use of such facilities to avoid unnecessary disruptions to fieldwork.

Emphasising practical reforms, he called for genuine implementation of citizen-centric initiatives.

ìIf we have a single window, it should actually function as a single window,î the CM said. ìIn my experience, sometimes a single window leads to another window and then a wall behind it. That is not what governance should look like.î

Describing conferences like the present one as platforms for both knowledge-sharing and relationship-building, he said, ìThese allow us to share best practices, but they also cement relationships. Face-to-face contact makes it easier to maintain communication and coordinate effectively.î

CM Omar said that elected representatives and administrators share a common objective.

ìWhether it is myself, Jitendra Singh Sahab or the MP, we have the same goal as you ó to ensure that people receive what they expect from us in development, governance and services,î he said.

The CM said citizens deserve a government that delivers on its promises in education, health, infrastructure and every other sector.

Expressing gratitude to the Union Minister for choosing Jammu as the venue, he extended an invitation to hold future conferences in Srinagar.

ìI hope that maybe next year we can entice you to come to Srinagar and keep this process going,î CM Omar said warmly.

He welcomed all delegates and expressed confidence that the deliberations would contribute meaningfully to strengthening governance frameworks across the country.