Now, Centre tasks secretaries to hold Chintan Shivir to brainstorm reforms, improve welfare scheme delivery

The Union government has directed ministry secretaries to conduct Chintan Shivir (brainstorming) sessions in early October to translate high-level ministerial goals into ground-level reforms. 

New Delhi: Top civil servants have been tasked with holding a series holding a series of meetings on the lines of Chintan Shivir of union cabinet ministers in early October to reduce compliances for businesses and speed up delivery of flagship welfare schemes ahead of crucial state elections, according to three people aware of the matter. Department secretaries have been told to convert political priorities into actionable reforms after a two-day ministerial retreat chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week,

The upcoming Chintan Shivir (brainstorming) sessions will target inter-ministerial bottlenecks, troublesome compliance rules, and glitchy digital interfaces. The effort is part of the administration's Viksit Bharat@2047 plan, which is using 10 groups of secretaries to list short-term operational targets and long-term economic benchmarks.

The ruling party is preparing for elections in key states, including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. While the administration has sent empowered groups of secretaries to manage crises, such as during recent West Asia trade disruptions, economists and policy analysts note that breaking down decades of bureaucratic red tape and procedures will require a massive shift.

The ministries are preparing proposal agendas to separate administrative fixes from statutory policy changes. Representatives for the Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretariat, and finance ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“At the session, the top officials will identify projects or programmes that can be implemented effectively and bring relief to citizens at large,” said the first person cited above.

“The top government officials are expected to brainstorm on pruning unnecessary compliances, simplifying application and approval processes, reducing paperwork, improving digital interfaces and making government websites and services easier to use. The discussions could also examine whether existing rules and procedures need to be changed to make welfare schemes more accessible,” said the second person cited above.

Push to reduce red tape and compliance

“Different ministries will also propose big-ticket reforms aimed at improving ease of doing business and ease of living, while ensuring more hurdle-free governance. They are also expected to exchange best practices across ministries and distinguish reforms that can be implemented administratively from those requiring policy or regulatory changes,” the second person said.

The proposed Chintan Shivir assumes significance as it follows the two-day brainstorming session of Union ministers held on 23-24 September, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The proposed session will take forward the discussions held during the ministerial meeting. While the ministers focused on broad policy discussions, the secretaries will work on actionable plans based on their suggestions, including identifying people-centric schemes that can be implemented in the short term, as well as long-term programmes aimed at helping India become a developed nation by 2047,” said the third person cited above.

However, experts said that while the government has taken steps towards deregulation and regulatory reforms, these efforts need to be intensified to address longstanding issues.

“The government has constituted a deregulation task force and a high-level committee for non-financial regulatory reforms. Both of these efforts have successfully driven reforms across states and ministries. However, these efforts are trying to undo legacy issues and mindsets that are decades old, so they will need to be intensified to fully achieve their aims,” said Rahul Ahluwalia, founder and director of the Foundation for Economic Development (FED), a policy advocacy organisation.

Better coordination across ministries and schemes

“Bringing senior bureaucrats together in this manner is a useful way to harness the administrative capacity of the government towards more coordinated and outcome-oriented governance. The government is trying to utilise the experience and expertise of bureaucrats to course-correct and improve its public perception following the criticism it has faced over the Jantar Mantar incident and, more recently, the Election Commission issue,” said Arun Kumar, noted economist and retired professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The government has previously used such sessions at the departmental level. For instance, the Department of Expenditure held a Chintan Shivir in November 2025, involving officials from the Centre and states, with discussions covering government fund flows, the use of artificial intelligence in government processes, and the appraisal and approval of centrally sponsored schemes.

Queries sent on Monday to the spokespersons of the department of posts and ministries of home, education and consumer affairs remained unanswered till press time.

Key Takeaways

• Top ministry secretaries will hold brainstorming sessions in early October for reforms.
• The meetings follow a cabinet retreat chaired recently by Prime Minister Modi.
• Discussions will focus on cutting red tape and easing compliance requirements for citizens.
• The initiative coincides with upcoming assembly elections in several key Indian states.
• Analysts emphasize that dismantling long-standing bureaucratic inertia requires deeper, sustained efforts.

About the Author

Dhirendra Kumar is a seasoned policy reporter with about 20 years of experience in deep, on-ground reporting across key economic and governance sectors. His work spans finance, public expenditure, disinvestment, public sector enterprises, textiles, trade, consumer affairs, and agriculture, with a strong focus on uncovering structural policy shifts and their real-world impact.<br><br>Kumar has been awarded the Chaudhary Charan Singh Award for Excellence in Journalism in Agricultural Research and Development, recognising his contribution to reporting on critical issues in the farm sector. He has also been a recipient of a fellowship in international trade from the National Press Foundation, which has further strengthened his coverage of global trade dynamics and their implications for India.<br><br>Kumar is known for breaking complex policy developments into clear, accessible stories. His reporting focuses on uncovering under-reported trends, explaining policy shifts, and helping readers stay informed about developments that shape India’s economic landscape.