PM Modi to chair National Conference of Chief Secretaries on human capital
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi on December 27 and 28, focusing on strategies to strengthen India’s human capital as part of the Viksit Bharat vision.
The conference marks another step in reinforcing Centre–State cooperation through sustained and structured dialogue on national development priorities. It is anchored in the Prime Minister’s emphasis on cooperative federalism and coordinated governance.
Officials said the National Conference of Chief Secretaries would serve as a forum for the Centre and States to jointly design a unified roadmap. The goal is to maximise human capital potential and accelerate inclusive, future-ready growth across the country.
The three-day conference, scheduled from December 26 to 28, will involve intensive deliberations aimed at finalising a common development agenda. These discussions seek to move beyond viewing India’s population as a demographic dividend and instead recognise citizens as human capital.
As part of this approach, participants will focus on concrete strategies to strengthen education systems, expand skilling initiatives and generate sustainable employment opportunities. Consequently, the conference will emphasise long-term outcomes over short-term interventions.
The fifth edition of the conference will revolve around the theme “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat.” This theme emerged after extensive consultations among central ministries, NITI Aayog, States, Union Territories and domain experts.
National Conference of Chief Secretaries to focus on education and reforms
Under the National Conference of Chief Secretaries, special emphasis will fall on five key areas. These include Early Childhood Education, Schooling, Skilling, Higher Education, Sports and Extracurricular activities. Each area will undergo detailed discussion to identify best practices and scalable models.
In addition, six special sessions will address critical policy and governance issues. These sessions will focus on deregulation in states, technology in governance, AgriStack for smart supply chains, and the “One State, One World Class Tourist Destination” initiative.
Further discussions will also cover Atmanirbhar Bharat and Swadeshi, along with plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. Through these sessions, officials aim to strengthen institutional capacity and improve inter-governmental coordination.
Besides formal sessions, the conference will include focused deliberations during meals. These discussions will address heritage and manuscript preservation, digitisation efforts, and the integration of AYUSH knowledge into primary healthcare delivery.
The National Conference of Chief Secretaries has taken place annually over the past four years. The first edition was held in Dharamshala in June 2022. Subsequent conferences took place in New Delhi in January 2023, December 2023 and December 2024.
Chief Secretaries from all States and Union Territories will attend the conference. Senior officials, domain experts and representatives from key institutions will also participate in the deliberations.
Officials said the conference would help align national and state priorities. As a result, it is expected to strengthen policy execution and advance India’s long-term development goals.
