Ahmedabad, May 6 (IANS) Stressing clarity and sensitivity as central to public administration, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has said that officials must remain free from worry and act with empathy while resolving citizens’ issues, as he inaugurated a three-day Chintan Shibir of the state’s Revenue Department at Trimandir in Adalaj.

Addressing the gathering on Tuesday, Chief Minister Patel added: “When we are here to carry out people-centric works, we should remain free from worry and function with clarity and sensitivity. Resolving issues in this manner is our responsibility as those entrusted with public welfare.”

Calling the Chintan Shibir an effective platform for self-reflection and for considering the welfare of even the most marginalised individual, the Chief Minister said: “The combined efforts of the Revenue Department and District Collectors should be channelled towards implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governance mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ in Gujarat.”

Referring to the Prime Minister’s approach, CM Patel noted: “Systems built for public welfare and in the public interest have enhanced the nation’s pride. District Collectors, vested with significant powers, must ensure that people approaching them feel no hesitation and leave with a sense of satisfaction.”

Citing the teachings of Dada Bhagwan, he said “understanding how the world functions and abandoning the ego of individual credit in favour of collective effort is essential for resolving problems”.

The Chintan Shibir, organised with the theme ‘Collaborate, Innovate and Transform for Better Land Governance’, has brought together District Collectors and revenue officials from across Gujarat for collective deliberations.

Chief Minister Patel called for a “zero tolerance” approach to addressing citizens’ grievances and urged officials to remain committed to public service in line with the vision of ‘Developed India at 2047’, to be realised through a Developed Gujarat.

During the inaugural session, spiritual speaker Deepakbhai Desai delivered an address encouraging officials to integrate spirituality with duty and service.

He said, “It is essential to understand the principles of karma and the purpose of work, and to follow values such as honesty, service, charity and pure conduct.”

He also emphasised the need to avoid causing harm or pain to others, to maintain ethical financial dealings, respect parents, and free oneself from anger, greed and illusion, while living with the aim of liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Minister of State for Revenue, Sanjaysinh Mahida, said resolving the problems of the last person by treating administrative processes as service to citizens is a priority of the state government.

“Gujarat has adopted faceless and paperless governance through platforms such as IORA and e-Dhara, enabling digital transformation. Due to the policy of zero delay and transparent administration in land allocation for industries and public purposes, Gujarat has become a preferred state for global investors,” he added.

Minister Mahida added that drone technology and satellite imagery are being used to correct shortcomings in past resurvey exercises.

“Processes such as 135-D notices, inheritance rights and land records have been simplified and made faster,” he said, adding that land records are being updated in real time with full digitalisation and modern reforms in legacy laws.

Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Das said the Revenue Department has recorded “record-breaking performance” in land allocation for development projects in recent times.

He highlighted Gujarat’s leading position in renewable, wind and solar energy sectors, attributing it in part to the department’s contribution.

Das also added, “New posts of additional collectors have been approved to strengthen administrative processes, and recruitment of talatis and surveyors has been undertaken to reinforce the system’s foundational structure.”

Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department, Jayanti Ravi, said that the administration requires not only logic and science but also internal balance and spiritual energy.

“The camp, organised in the presence of Dada Bhagwan, aims to encourage officers to treat their duties as a form of disciplined practice, enabling them to work effectively even amid challenges,” she noted.

Referring to the 254-year legacy of the collector institution in India, she said it “continues to hold a distinct identity in public perception”.

The timing of the Chintan Shibir at the start of the financial year is intended to improve precision and transparency in administration, she added, noting that “it is expected to bring qualitative changes in the Revenue Department that will directly benefit citizens”.

–IANS

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