Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Government has expanded its Sardar Patel Good Governance Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme, increasing the number of fellows from 41 to 47 and the number of projects from 20 to 45.
The decision, taken by the General Administration Department (GAD) under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, is aimed at bringing more young professionals into policy research, administrative coordination and the evaluation of government schemes.
Under the revised arrangement, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) will serve as the programme’s knowledge partner. A senior faculty member nominated by the institute will also have a designated role in the initiative.
The fellowship provides an opportunity for young professionals with research, analytical and policy-related skills to work with the state administration for a period of one to two years.
From Healthcare to Agriculture: 45 Projects Across Key Sectors
The expansion will take the fellowship’s work into several areas of public administration and development.
The projects will cover:
- Education and early childhood development
- Healthcare and public health services
- Nutrition and social development
- Agriculture and natural farming
- Urban administration and civic services
- Environment and waste management
- Public administration and governance
- Policy research linked to Viksit Gujarat@2047
The fellows will examine gaps in the implementation of government programmes, assess the use of available resources and provide recommendations to departments for improving service delivery.
Anganwadi Services, Nutrition and Early Childhood Education Get Attention
A significant part of the expanded programme will focus on child development and nutrition-related services.
The proposed studies will cover Anganwadi services, anaemia reduction, early childhood education and interconnected libraries.
Another project will examine the expansion of centralised kitchen facilities to strengthen the delivery of meals under the PM POSHAN scheme and services under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
These studies are intended to identify implementation challenges and suggest improvements in the reach and quality of public services.
Fellows to Examine PMJAY-MA and Government Healthcare Services
Healthcare-related projects will focus on operational challenges in government hospitals, particularly those involving claims under the PMJAY-MA scheme.
The studies will also examine the utilisation of public healthcare services and identify procedural difficulties that may affect their delivery.
The objective is to develop recommendations for simplifying processes and improving the efficiency of healthcare administration.
Natural Farming and Farmers’ Access to Government Schemes
Agriculture will be another important area under the expanded fellowship programme.
Fellows will study challenges associated with the adoption and implementation of natural farming practices. They will also examine difficulties in ensuring that farmers receive the benefits of government schemes.
The findings are expected to help relevant departments identify gaps and develop practical solutions for improving programme implementation.
Viksit Gujarat@2047 to Get Data-Based Policy Support
The fellowship will also contribute to the state’s long-term development vision, Viksit Gujarat@2047.
Projects in this area will involve evidence-based research, data analysis and monitoring of priority development initiatives.
The studies will additionally examine:
- The functioning of district-level committees.
- Follow-up action on government decisions.
- Coordination between different government departments.
- Monitoring and implementation of priority projects.
Artificial intelligence-based tools may also be used for classifying information, preparing summaries and identifying key issues. However, any information generated through AI will have to be verified against original documents and data before being used.
Rajkot and Bhavnagar Civic Services Among Urban Development Priorities
The programme will include projects aimed at improving municipal administration and environmental management.
In Rajkot, the focus will be on analysing civic complaints, identifying recurring problems and improving the delivery of municipal services through data-based assessment.
In Bhavnagar, projects will examine solid and wet waste recycling and the reuse of available resources.
IIM Ahmedabad to Support Research and Knowledge Development
The appointment of IIM Ahmedabad as the knowledge partner is an important part of the revised programme framework.
The institute will contribute through its designated role in the fellowship, including the involvement of a senior faculty member.
Through the expanded programme, the state government aims to give young professionals practical exposure to public administration while using their research and analytical capabilities to support government departments.
With the number of projects increasing from 20 to 45, the initiative will cover a wider range of administrative and development-related issues across Gujarat.
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