Inside The Secretariat: Energy Cybersecurity, Slum-Free City Plan, And Policy Execution

Two Most Powerful Home Posts Still On Additional Charge

The Gujarat government has begun the new year on a positive note by granting promotions to IAS and IPS officers. However, it has not yet given permanent postings to two of the state’s most crucial positions—the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) heading the Home Department and the Director General of Police (DGP). Significantly, the post of Additional Chief Secretary in the Home Department has been under additional charge for quite some time. At present, the charge has been entrusted to Sanjeev Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Acting under his orders, promotions of senior police officers were recently carried out. On the other hand, following the retirement of Vikas Sahay, the government appointed the senior-most IPS officer Dr. K. Laxminarayan Rao as the in-charge DGP. Although the name of Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Gyanendra Singh Malik was discussed for the post, expectations remain that his name may resurface when the government proceeds to make a permanent appointment to the position of state police chief. For the first time in the state’s history, both top positions in the Home Department are being run on an additional charge. Dr. Rao’s permanent posting remains with the CID (Crime).

Gujarat Tightens Cyber Grip on Energy Infrastructure

The energy sector has emerged as one of the most high-profile sectors in the state, especially as Gujarat ranks among the leading states in renewable energy. In view of increasing cyber threats, the Energy and Petrochemicals Department has constituted an 11-member Core Committee and a 19-member Task Force to protect the energy sector from cyberattacks. The committees will review IT and cyber security arrangements related to energy infrastructure, assess preparedness, and examine cyber security policies and management systems. As part of this initiative, the state will also collaborate with academic institutions and experts from the energy sector. The move has gained urgency as advanced systems such as smart meters, smart grids, and SCADA have been integrated into the state’s power infrastructure, making cyber protection critical. The formation and functioning of the Task Force and Core Committee are being guided by the department’s Cabinet Minister Rishikesh Patel and Principal Secretary Ashwini Kumar.

Chandigarh Blueprint to Turn Surat Slum-Free 

Chandigarh is the only city in India that has achieved the status of being 100 % slum-free. Taking inspiration from this milestone, the Gujarat government has decided to make Surat a slum-free city.

Known as the diamond and textile hub of the country, Surat had around 38% of its population living in slums in 2006, according to official estimates. This figure has now declined sharply to just about 5%. With a population exceeding 7 million, Surat is the second most populous city in Gujarat after Ahmedabad. After achieving the goal of making Surat slum-free, the state government plans to replicate this model in other cities as well. In this regard, the Chief Minister has instructed the Chief Secretary and other secretaries during a cabinet meeting to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for developing slum-free cities across the state. In effect, with the beginning of the new year, state secretaries have been assigned the task of driving the Slum-Free Cities mission forward.

MPs, MLAs to Play Bigger Role in Policy Execution

To strengthen policy implementation and improve governance performance, the Gujarat government has constituted 13 standing consultative committees of MLAs, each chaired by a Cabinet Minister. All Members of Parliament from the state will be included in these committees as invitee members. The move aims to create a structured platform for discussion and deliberation on issues related to the implementation of government policies, with the objective of making governance more effective and outcome-oriented. Similar committees had existed under previous governments as well. Ministers have been instructed to ensure that meetings of these committees are held once every three months. However, the scope of these committees will remain clearly defined. They will not take up matters related to individual officers, service or employment issues, existing rules or government orders, or subjects that are sub judice. Instead, the committees will focus on policy-related public issues and citizens’ concerns, providing feedback and suggestions to improve implementation on the ground.

Centre Think Tank Praises Gujarat’s Biotechnology Push

The NITI Aayog has praised the Gujarat government’s higher-education initiative, the Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU), located at the GIFT City campus. The appreciation comes five years after Gujarat took a decisive step to strengthen world-class higher education within the state. In its recently published report, NITI Aayog noted that for every one foreign student coming to India for higher studies, 28 Indian students go abroad, resulting in nearly 2 per cent of India’s GDP flowing out of the country. Against this backdrop, Gujarat’s decision in 2020 to establish GBU was highlighted as a strategic move to retain national talent by offering international-standard education at home. GBU runs master’s programmes in plant technology, animal, medical, industrial, and environmental biotechnology, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. Admissions are conducted strictly on merit through the Graduate Aptitude Test–Biotechnology (GAT-B), one of India’s most competitive entrance examinations, thereby attracting top talent from across the country. Through GBU, Gujarat is making a concerted effort to stem the outflow of India’s intellectual capital and position itself as a hub for advanced biotechnology education and research.

Twin Committees Formed to Review Revenue, Land Laws

Despite several attempts to simplify Gujarat’s complex revenue laws, gaps have remained evident. In view of this, the state government has constituted two committees to undertake a comprehensive review of old revenue laws, covering issues ranging from the definition of farmers and inheritance and land ceiling to digital land records. The first committee will be headed by C. L. Meena and will review the Gujarat Land Revenue Act, 1879, along with its allied provisions. This 145-year-old law will be examined in detail, and amendments aligned with present-day requirements will be recommended. The second committee, to be led by J. K. Astik, will focus on revenue laws other than the Land Revenue Act, as well as land-related rules. This panel will prepare suggestions aimed at reforming and rationalising these statutes. Notably, the move follows recent recommendations by the Chief Minister’s Chief Adviser Hasmukh Adhia, who had urged the state government to simplify land revenue laws to make them more transparent and citizen-friendly.

Chief Secretaries Asked to Prioritise Manufacturing Mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held a brainstorming session with Chief Secretaries of states, the key takeaway of which was the need to steer the younger generation away from excessive mobile phone use, assess their abilities, and channel them towards extracurricular and skill-based activities so that they can actively contribute to the nation’s progress. During the meeting, emphasis was laid on human capital, quality governance, and the importance of cooperative dialogue between the Centre and the states. The Prime Minister underlined that if education and industry work in close coordination with the objective of creating high-quality talent, India will be able to align skill development with present and future global demands. Gujarat Chief Secretary M. K. Das was among those present at the meeting. With the Central government set to launch the National Manufacturing Mission in the near future, the Prime Minister urged states to accord it top priority and focus on attracting global investments to strengthen India’s manufacturing ecosystem.