Hans News Service Vijayawada

Thefirst regional workshop of iGOT–Mission Karmayogi for the southern states concluded in Vijayawada on Wednesday after two days of discussions on strengthening the capabilities and skills of government employees and improving the quality of public services.

The workshop, organised by the Capacity Building Commission at Dr B R Ambedkar Kala Vedika, focused on capacity building, modern skills, digital learning, technology adoption and sharing of best practices among the participating States.

On the second day, Andhra Pradesh made a presentation on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in public administration and citizen services.

Finance special chief secretary Peeyush Kumar explained to representatives of various states the measures taken by the state to use AI for delivering faster and more transparent services. Peeyush Kumar said that while the use of AI was increasing in governance, human judgement would remain crucial in decision-making. He called upon government officials to move beyond merely implementing rules and focus on finding solutions to public problems.

He said an experiment involving a multi-agent AI network in the commercial taxes department had proved successful. Nearly 5,000 assessment cases involving transactions valued at around Rs.1,600 crore were analysed using AI, he said.

The finance special chief secretary stressed the need to prepare government employees as well as the younger generation for emerging technological challenges. He said officials needed to continuously upgrade their skills in line with changing requirements.

Representatives from six southern states discussed best practices in training and capacity building and exchanged experiences on strengthening training institutions and improving learning systems for government employees.

The two-day workshop also deliberated on measures to improve the quality of citizen services, enhance employee skills and competencies, expand digital learning and promote the use of modern technologies in government departments.

The regional workshop also prepared a draft incorporating key areas for strengthening employee capabilities. Discussions covered an integrated approach to capacity building, from training and skill development to improvement in service delivery. The iGOT–Mission Karmayogi platform is being used to promote continuous learning and professional development among government employees.

Andhra Pradesh has completed more than two crore iGOT online courses, placing the State among the leading States in employee capacity building, according to officials.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has appreciated the state’s progress in employee skill development and particularly commended the AP HRD department, planning department and AP State Development Planning Society.

The workshop also focused on strengthening coordination between training institutions and government departments and expanding digital learning to enhance employee capabilities.

The participating States agreed on the importance of continued exchange of experiences and best practices for building a more capable and responsive public administration.