After encountering its biggest socio-economic and political crisis last year, the Sri Lankan government under President Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed his wish to train the island state’s bureaucratic set-up in the spirit of its neighbour, India, which he praised for exceptional good governance and an ever-rising economy.
On 1st April 2023, an Indian delegation led by the Director General of National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Mr. Bharat Lal met Mr. Wickremesinghe. Mr. Lal was accompanied by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Mr Gopal Bagley, Dr. A P Singh, Associate Professor of NCGG and other senior diplomats of the Mission.
During the meeting, Mr. Wickremesinghe shared his vision for Sri Lanka, a strategy to address the recent economic challenges and put the country on the path of high economic growth.
The discussion centred around policy reforms, good governance, digitalization, capacity building and training, institution building, and assured public service delivery. Mr. Wickremesinghe admired the way India has managed socio-economic development and has ensured high economic growth.
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe also urged NCGG to help in establishing a University of Governance and Public Policy in Sri Lanka. He also requested that the NCGG extend the necessary help to Sri Lanka based on India’s experience of digital governance and participatory policymaking to ensure faster socio-economic development and high economic growth.
The DG, NCGG underscored how PM Narendra Modi, upon assuming the role of Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 amid a slew of crises and negative economic growth, was able to put the state on the path of high economic growth and sustained prosperity through his vision, strategy, and progressive policies. Consequently, Gujarat has experienced double-digit economic growth over the past two decades.
He highlighted how since 2014, as Prime Minister, Mr. Modi has introduced a new culture of citizen-centric policies and good governance, and as a result, India is witnessing high economic growth, assured public service delivery and fast improving quality of life of its citizens.
To reinforce Prime Minister’s vision for good governance, which focuses on transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness, India is massively using digital technology and planning, execution and monitoring mechanism for time-bound implementation.
Apart from Sri Lankan PM the Indian delegation met several senior civil servants of Sri Lanka.
