BHUBANESWAR: The first conference of IAS officers in Naveen Patnaik 5.0 is going to be a different affair. It will blend serious brainstorming on governance with bonding and socialisation.
This year’s annual meet aims to break the monotony of the usual conference and move out of the State Secretariat to the picturesque Konark at the end of day one on January 17. At the Eco Retreat, the glamping site created by Tourism Department, bureaucrats will get motivational talks and find time for interaction with each other on second day of the conference.
The senior officers’ conference, though, has its sight set on right Government’s key plank – public services delivery. Despite having a plethora of welfare schemes for the socio-economically weaker sections, public service delivery has been a growing cause of concern and that’s what the conference seeks to focus on. Basically, it has CM Naveen Patnaik’s 5T and Mo Sarkar mantra written all over it.
The conference will focus on challenges to public service delivery. Collectors have been clubbed in five groups to make presentations on livelihood, health, school education, women empowerment and governance challenges at district level.
After Naveen opens the conference on Friday at Lok Seva Bhawan, the meet will have presentations by group of secretaries on inclusive governance, new age technology and innovation, infrastructure development for growth, tapping sectors like tourism, textile and handlooms as well as sustainability of cities. Senior IAS officers will make the presentations.
The groups of Collectors will then present their views on public service delivery and action plans for next five years. The groups have been carefully chosen looking at the current issues. Like the group comprising Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore and Nabarangpur districts will present its action plan on health sector which has room for improvement.
The departure from the routine comes on day two. The IAS officers will indulge in outdoor activities at the Konark Eco Retreat in the morning and re-group for a pre-lunch motivational talk. It would be followed by interaction among the IAS officers where the young ones would get to pick the brains of the senior and wise heads.
Apart from bridging the distance, the officers would also find solution to service-related issues through interaction. The IAS Association meet will also be held at the end of the day at the Eco Retreat where the officers will make the night halt.