Gandhinagar, Oct 29 (NationPress) The Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission (GARC) has presented its fifth report to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, detailing 12 pivotal recommendations to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Nagarik Devo Bhav’ (Citizen First) philosophy through technology-driven administrative enhancements.

The report aims to reshape Gujarat’s governance landscape with the slogan ‘Government at the Doorstep of the Citizen’ and the vision of ‘One State – One Portal’.

It advocates for a centralized digital platform where citizens can access all government services via a Single Sign-On (SSO) system using a single user ID.

This system would allow citizens to submit personal details only once, which can then be reused for various services — achieving the objective of “Provide information once – receive benefits repeatedly.”

A standout feature of the report is the proposed Digital Gujarat 2.0 portal, aimed at evolving governance from a reactive to a proactive approach.

The upgraded portal is set to incorporate smart alerts that will automatically grant social welfare benefits and lifecycle guidance to eligible citizens without necessitating separate applications.

The report also suggests implementing end-to-end digital workflows for essential citizen services, providing real-time updates on applications and approvals to boost transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

In alignment with the government’s “Less Paper – More Facilities” initiative, GARC recommends standardized forms, eliminating unnecessary documents and stamps, and digital integration with Aadhaar and DigiLocker.

Additionally, the report proposes modernizing all Jan Seva Kendras (JSKs) across Gujarat, establishing guidance desks, minimizing waiting times, and enhancing the citizen experience.

To bolster service delivery in both rural and urban settings, it suggests empowering Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs) and leveraging Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models for urban initiatives.

Furthermore, it advocates for regular audits and updates under the Right to Citizen Public Service Act, along with staff capacity building and clear civil service timings to ensure Ease of Governance.

Presenting the report, Hasmukh Adhia, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman of GARC, highlighted that this initiative transcends technology — it aims to cultivate a new culture of citizen-first governance.

“This report reflects the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Nagarik Devo Bhav’ and Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel’s mission of ‘Sarkar pahochshe nagrik sudhi, nagrik nahi sarkar sudhi’ — the government will reach the citizen, not the other way around,” he stated.