Reinventing governance in the new normal

Dr. Prashant Narnaware

Technology-driven innovation has dramatically improved the government’s capacity and accountability to accelerate administrative reforms across sectors. Dr. Prashant Narnaware, Commissioner, Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra, presented insights into key initiatives of the Maharashtra government at the Elets India Transformation Summit.

Dr. Prashant Narnaware said the Government of Maharashtra has a budget of around Rs 10,000 crore. “Education is the key focus sector. The Government of India scholarships that we give has a component of Rs 1300 crore,” he said. Currently, the state government is providing scholarships through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer). “Under DBT, we are also planning to bring the pre-metric scholarship that we give to 5 lakh students,” Narnaware said.

He further highlighted that the state government has facilitated a software system, where beneficiaries can directly come on board and avail various services. “The department has digitised various schemes and provides services at doorstep,” he added.

Rural Development and Renovation

Emphasising on the potential of digital interventions, Narnaware elaborated on how he renovated Osmanabad and Palghar districts of Maharashtra.
Osmanabad, a rain-fed district in the state, was reeling under the farmer suicide menace due to crop failure and drought. He said, “In 2014, I was the District Collector of Osmanabad. To deal with the suicide menace, the district administration gathered 2,88,000 farmers and a group of 14,600 farmer groups were formed.”

Innovative initiatives by the district administration changed the situation by transforming the district into the centre of floriculture, creating self-employment opportunities for farmers. Now the district is known for the success of the Gerbera cultivation. The cut Gerbera flowers are sent to Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and also to other countries, providing decent income to cultivators. “This is an example of how the government-citizen collaboration can bring transformation,” Narnaware said.

Narnaware is also known for bringing in administrative innovation in the tribal sector of Palghar district, Maharashtra. “In association with Forest and Revenue Departments, the district administration took various welfare programs and digital initiatives,” he said. Highlighting the Tribal Right Expansion and Empowerment project, he said that the project empowered communities by giving them their constitutional rights. It also empowered tribal people by giving them their rights under the “Forests Rights Act”.

The state government is doing similar work in the Social Welfare department. “We are working with NGOs for senior citizens, transgender, etc. We have set up dedicated portals to provide various services.”

Technology has a great potential to enhance the livelihood, he remarked.

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