Podcast on New age diplomacy and development series

Speaker : Mr. Ajay Singh- IAS(Rtd.) 

 Vice Chairman(Chhattisgarh State Planning Commission); Former Chief Secretary, Chhattisgarh.

Q1. What is the present situation with respect to COVID cases and management in Chhattisgarh? Also, since March 2020, how has the government and the bureaucracy evolved in terms of managing the pandemic in the state?

Q2. With respect to the migrant workers, one of the worst hit groups during the pandemic, a large number headed back home to Chhattisgarh. How has the state worked towards addressing their concerns?

Also, ‘Janta ka Faisla’- which is a unique 5 day program held in Raipur, is the first citizen’s jury of migrant workers. As the Vice Chairman of the state Planning Commission how do you see citizen’s participation in policy making in the state in the future?

Q3. Recently in the NITI Aayog’s SDG Index Report 2020-2021, Chhattisgarh has been declared the top performing state in India on the Gender Equality parameter. The Planning Commission of Chhattisgarh has also published two important documents- Chhattisgarh SDG Vision Document 2030 and SDG Indicator Framework.

In this context, I would like to know from you what are the areas within the domain of SDGs that the State Government and the State Planning Commission are giving priorities to achieve. 

Q4. Supplementary question: How are the uncertainties brought by the Corona pandemic posing a challenge to the efforts towards achieving these goals and should the framework need any change to adjust with the present challenges posed by the pandemic?

Q5. You have traversed the entire hierarchy of the IAS in the state- from being a probationer, all the way to the Chief Secretary of the State and now you are the Vice Chairman of the state Planning Commission. Down the memory lane could you please share some instances/ experiences that you feel were some of the high moments in your career.

References: 

1. Chhattisgarh SDG Vision Document 2030

http://spc.cg.gov.in/pdf/SDG_Vission_2030.pdf 

1.  SDG Indicator Framework

http://spc.cg.gov.in/pdf/Update_16_07_2021/CG-SIF_15072021.pdf