PM Modi to Hold 2nd Round of Chintan Shivir in October; Dates Yet to Be Finalised

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to convene the second round of the Chintan Shivir for Union ministers in October, with the exact dates yet to be finalised, according to people familiar with the development. The session was earlier scheduled for September 29 and 30 but was deferred because several ministers had prior official engagements.

The first round of the exercise was held on September 23 and 24 at Seva Teerth in New Delhi. Ministers were divided into groups for discussions with the Prime Minister on the functioning of their respective ministries and ways to improve governance and implementation.

Focus of the first Chintan Shivir

The discussions covered areas including policy formulation, delivery of government programmes and the experience of citizens accessing public services. Ministers were also asked to examine ways to improve coordination and make government schemes reach more eligible beneficiaries.

According to reports, the first round also placed emphasis on women and youth, identifying groups that could benefit from government programmes and improving outreach. The broader Chintan Shivir exercise is linked to the government's Viksit Bharat@2047 agenda and efforts to review governance and implementation.

Second round expected in October

The second round is expected to take up themes and discussions that could not be covered in the first session. Ministers may discuss best practices for improving the reach of government programmes and review schemes that have not produced their intended outcomes or have seen limited uptake, according to people cited in the latest report.

The exercise is part of a broader process that began in 2021, when groups of secretaries were constituted to work on the long-term Viksit Bharat@2047 vision and develop short- and long-term road maps. Subsequent discussions have involved ministries, the Cabinet Secretariat and NITI Aayog.

The exact schedule for the October session is expected to be finalised after taking into account the ministers' existing programmes and official engagements.