PM Narendra Modi urges tech-first governance, boost for startups, MSMEs
Narendra Modi
has called on India's civil services to embrace a technology-first approach while staying firmly rooted in sound human judgement.
'No matter how tech-driven the world becomes, we should never forget the importance of human judgements,' PM Modi said while addressing bureaucrats in New Delhi at the 17th
Civil Services Day
programme.
Modi emphasised a complete shift toward tech-driven, efficient governance, stating that 'quality is governance.' He highlighted that India is now 10–11 years ahead of many countries in using digital tools to streamline public services and business processes.
He further added that over 40,000 compliances have been removed, delays reduced, and errors decriminalised, resulting in a major push for ease of doing business.
A recent Accenture study,
surveying 190 Indian executives and 4,000 globally, reveals that by 2025, AI will not just automate existing business processes but also create new processes, workflows, and software.
Echoing a similar sentiment earlier this month, the ministry of electronics and information technology (
MeitY) secretary S Krishnan
, noted that India has little reason to fear job losses from artificial intelligence (AI).
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Krishnan stated that ongoing workforce training initiatives are preparing individuals for new and emerging roles in the evolving job market shaped by AI advancements.
Fuelling MSME & startup growth
In a rapidly evolving economic landscape, PM Modi emphasised the critical role of officials in supporting startups and MSMEs as key drivers of innovation.
Modi urged officials to view themselves as enablers of growth, especially for startups and MSMEs, in light of India's evolving economic landscape, where smaller enterprises are becoming key drivers of innovation, supply chain management, and global competitiveness.
He underlined that India is no longer a passive player but is leading globally—citing the G20 presidency and India's innovation benchmarks. He called for greater adoption of global technologies and a holistic approach in governance.
'In today's digital and information age, governance is not just about managing systems. It's about multiplying opportunities,' Modi said, stressing the need for civil servants to be tech-savvy, skilled in data-driven decision-making, and proactive in cybersecurity.
Earlier, Union minister
Piyush Goyal highlighted
that Indian startups are gaining global recognition with strong deal pipelines. He stressed the need to strengthen both upstream and downstream sectors for a more centralised ecosystem.
Challenges ahead
As technology continues to advance, significant disruptions in the workforce are becoming increasingly evident. Job displacement and the need for reskilling are set to escalate, reshaping industries across the globe.
According to data from layoff tracking platform Trueup, the
tech sector has seen 234 layoffs
this year, affecting 45,656 employees, averaging 439 layoffs per day.
Microsoft
cofounder Bill Gates also predicted that over the next two decades, AI advancements will greatly reduce global dependence on human labour in both white-collar and blue-collar jobs.
According to Gates, in 20 years
, AI will have transformed industries to the point where the current capitalist framework may no longer fully explain the changes, as robots will be capable of performing both physical tasks traditionally done by blue-collar workers and intellectual tasks usually handled by white-collar workers.
Experts view the
job cuts in 2024
as early signs of displacement, with roles becoming redundant due to AI adoption. TeamLease Digital forecasts that by 2027, over 16 million Indian workers will need reskilling and upskilling to adapt to AI's impact.
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