Gandhinagar, Nov 4 (NationPress) Gujarat has once again solidified its reputation as one of India’s most forward-thinking and business-friendly states, taking the lead in the ‘Fast Moving’ category in the most recent Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) rankings published by the Government of India, as announced by officials on Tuesday.

This revelation was made during the third session of the ‘Atal Smaran Lecture Series’, organized by the Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA) in partnership with the Secretariat under the General Administration Department’s Administrative Reforms and Training Division at SPIPA’s Gandhinagar campus.

The session, themed “Developed Gujarat for a Developed India – The Governance Imperative”, featured enlightening discussions in line with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. During his keynote address, NITI Aayog Member and former Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India, Rajiv Gauba, underscored Gujarat’s leading role in governance, reforms, and business facilitation.

Gauba commended Gujarat’s contribution to the national development narrative, stating, “Gujarat has consistently held the position of a leader not only in industrial growth but also in governance reforms. Motivated by the Central government’s strategic vision, Gujarat was the first state to establish the Gujarat State Institution for Transformation (GRIT) -- a state-level entity modeled after NITI Aayog.”

Referring to the CAG Report 2023, Gauba noted that Gujarat is home to 101 Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and ranks third in the country for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). He also pointed out the state’s achievement as the location of India’s inaugural commercial semiconductor fabrication facility and the country’s first private aircraft manufacturing initiative, further highlighting Gujarat’s ongoing excellence in implementing business reforms.

Expanding on recent developments, Gauba discussed the state’s newly launched Global Capability Centre (GCC) Policy, which aims to attract 250 new GCCs, generate Rs 10,000 crore in investments, and create numerous skilled job opportunities through capital subsidies and other incentives. “With the longest coastline in India, Gujarat is strategically positioned for port-led development -- a crucial component in realizing a Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he emphasized.

Notable dignitaries, including Dr Jayanti Ravi (Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department), Harit Shukla (Principal Secretary, General Administration Department), Ardra Agarwal (Planning Secretary), Mihir Wadekar (OSD, NITI Aayog), and former Chief Secretary J.N. Singh, attended the event, along with SPIPA officials, faculty members, and students. The ‘Atal Smaran Lecture Series’, held throughout the year to honor the 100th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, aims to promote governance excellence and visionary leadership among public administrators. This marked the third session in the series.

A 1982-batch IAS officer from the Jharkhand cadre, Gauba served as Cabinet Secretary from August 2019 to August 2024 -- the longest tenure in that position. His guidance was pivotal in national preparedness during the Covid-19 crisis and in advancing key reforms such as the Ease of Doing Business. Prior to his role as Cabinet Secretary, he also held the position of Union Home Secretary and served as Senior Adviser to the Executive Director of the IMF in Washington, D.C., during a critical period in India–IMF relations.