CM Hemant Soren pitches ‘mines to minds’ vision at Jharkhand Vision 2050 consultation
New Delhi, July 8: Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday said Jharkhand must move beyond being identified solely by its mineral wealth…
New Delhi, July 8: Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday said Jharkhand must move beyond being identified solely by its mineral wealth and emerge as a knowledge-driven economy, as the State government sought suggestions from industry leaders, technology companies and policy experts for its Vision 2050 roadmap.
Inaugurating a two-day National Stakeholders Consultation jointly organised by the State’s Information Technology, Industries and Tourism Departments, Soren said the convergence of Jharkhand’s traditional knowledge and modern technology would shape the State’s future development.
“We must now be defined not merely by mines but by minds; not just by resources but by research; not only by extraction but by innovation; and not just by growth but by extensive growth,” the Chief Minister said.
Focus on IT, AI and digital governance
The first day of the consultation featured discussions on information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), digital governance and emerging technologies, with participation from industry leaders, policymakers, academicians and representatives of technology companies, including Microsoft, Google and IBM.
Soren said the State aimed to accelerate industrial and technological development while promoting inclusive and sustainable growth. He said policies would be framed after incorporating stakeholders’ suggestions to attract investment, create employment and strengthen Jharkhand’s digital economy.
Draft policies presented
The government presented concept papers on the proposed Jharkhand AI Policy, Jharkhand Investment Promotion Policy, Jharkhand Tourism Policy, Jharkhand Textile Policy, JIADA Regulations and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Policy, inviting suggestions from industry and experts to make them more effective and investor-friendly.
A Business-to-Government (B2G) dialogue was also held to discuss investment opportunities and partnerships in information technology, artificial intelligence, digital governance and other emerging sectors.
Industry participation
State Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar outlined the objectives of the consultation and highlighted the role of technology in the State’s development. Development Commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh also attended the event.
Presentations on the growth potential of Jharkhand’s technology sector were made by Tallin Kumar of IBM, Sandeep Arora of Microsoft and Rajesh Ranjan of Google.
Among those present were Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Industries Minister Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Tourism Minister Sudivya Kumar, Information Technology Secretary Pooja Singhal, Industries Secretary Arva Rajkamal, Special Secretary (Information and Public Relations) Rajiv Lochan Bakshi, Director of Information Technology Madhavi Mishra and Director of Industries Vishal Sagar.
