Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], November 27 : While inaugurating the State Government's 12th Chintan Shibir, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through his vision and continuous introspection, has fostered a culture of staying globally ahead, further reinforced by the Chintan Shibirs.
In this context, he said that, irrespective of the circumstances, a Chintan Shibir serves as a platform for collective reflection, enabling progress with firm resolve and unwavering confidence to accelerate development and advance initiatives that benefit the common people.
Patel, while explaining the profound message of the inspirational song "Manushya Tu Bada Mahan Hai," which is presented at the start of every Chintan Shibir, said that we must recognise the immense strength within us and remain committed to serving the people. He added that the reflective deliberations of the Chintan Shibir serve as a source of this inspiration.
He said that we must carry out the responsibilities entrusted to us with utmost sincerity and maintain a positive mindset that prioritises finding real solutions rather than merely processing people's matters. Only then can we truly honour the opportunity for public service that God has bestowed upon us. He further emphasised the importance of periodically reflecting on our work and thoughtfully evaluating its outcomes.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words at the launch of the Chintan Shibir in 2003: "Coming together is a beginning, thinking together is progress, and working together is success."
The Chief Minister said that these Shibirs have fulfilled the goal of achieving collective development through collective reflection. He added that during this three-day Shibir, the focus should now be on deliberating how to move forward together with greater speed and excellence.
He also urged everyone to embrace the essence and message of Pujya Bapu's beloved bhajan "Vaishnav Jan To..." throughout their service and to remain steadfast in their commitment to the welfare of all.
Bhupendra Patel was confident that the Shibir's deliberations would help position Gujarat to lead the nation in achieving the Prime Minister's vision of a Viksit Bharat@ 2047. He added that Gujarat's 75th year of foundation in 2035 will serve as a key milestone in the roadmap toward a Viksit Bharat-Viksit Gujarat.
CM was hopeful that the discussions during the three-day Shibir would offer ideas to make this roadmap even more effective and innovative for the welfare of the people.
Principal Secretary of the General Administration Department, Hareet Shukla, delivered the welcome address and presented an overview of the 12th Chintan Shibir. Reflecting on earlier Shibirs, he noted that several administrative processes have accelerated as decisions were implemented based on past recommendations.
He shared insights of the brainstorming sessions held to set the Chintan Shibir agenda and urged the Gujarat team members present to simplify the Shibir's conclusions to streamline public administration and service delivery.
Speaking about the 12th Chintan Shibir, he shared details of the five focus areas chosen for discussion and group deliberations to consolidate Viksit Gujarat further. These areas are capacity building and evaluation, nutrition and health, green energy and environment, public safety, and growth in the service sector.
Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Das stated that a primary objective of the Shibir is to build capacity to realise the vision of Viksit Gujarat. He said that as we progress on the development path, the workload, nature of tasks, public service responsibilities, and citizen expectations all grow. He emphasised the need to resolve people's problems and implement public welfare programs and schemes with utmost efficiency.
He said that the unique system of Chintan Shibirs, initiated by Narendra Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister, remains vibrant even today, and these Shibirs have proven to be the cornerstone in making Gujarat a model of development. He expressed confidence that this three-day Shibir will serve as a platform to guide progress through collective effort and shared vision.
The three-day Chintan Shibir, taking place at the sacred Shrimad Rajchandra Mission in Dharampur, is attended by approximately 241 participants, including Cabinet Ministers, senior secretaries and officers.