Two-day Guv’s conference to begin today

With the NDA Government entering the last lap of its governance before going for elections next years, it will highlight its flagship programmes particularly Clean India mission during the two-day Conference of Governors and Lt Governors that begins on Monday. The conference will also see discussions on internal security and presentations made by the vice-chairman and the CEO of NITI Aayog Rajiv Kumar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the gathering.

This would be the 49th such conference and the second one to be presided over by President Ram Nath Kovind. The first conference of Governors was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in 1949 presided over by C Rajagopalachari, the then Governor General of India.

As the Government prepares to go for polls next year, it will inform the work done by it in the past four years. There will be briefings and presentations on Government’s flagship programmes. One of the sessions will cover the theme of higher education in State Universities and skill development for employability. The Governor of Gujarat will be the convenor of this session. During this session presentations will be made by the Higher Education Secretary and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion secretary.

In the fourth session, Governors and Lt Governors will discuss steps taken on the report ‘Rajyapal — Vikas Ke Rajdoot: Catalytic Role of Governors as Agents for Change in Society’. This report was submitted by the Committee of Governors to the President on January 9.

The committee was constituted during the 48th conference of Governors held in October 2017.

Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ESL Narasimhan will convene this session. On June 5, the fifth session of the conference will discuss ideas on how to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.  During this session, presentations will be made on Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and Swachhata Internship and Governors/Lt Governors will make suggestions. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik shall be the convenor of this session.

In the sixth and concluding session, brief presentations on the deliberations in the previous thematic sessions will be made by the convenor Governors. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, the Prime Minister, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will address the concluding session.

A special session on Union Territories will be held on June 5 at which Lt Governors or Administrators will discuss status of implementation of various flagship programmes. The Cabinet Secretary, the Home Secretary and other senior officials will be part of the meeting. Governors and Lt Governors of all States and Union Territories will attend the conference.