Guwahati

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed district commissioners to shed the vestiges of a colonial administrative mindset and bring discipline and efficiency to the public service.

He chaired a two-day District Commissioners' Conference, which ended past midnight on Monday, and said officers must bring private-sector professionalism to the functioning of administration as technology and AI become integral to everyday governance.

"Shortly after midnight, we concluded the two-day District Commissioners' Conference in Jorhat: over 27 hours of rigorous deliberations with Ministers, DCs and senior officers, covering 15 departments," the chief minister said in a post on X.

"My message was clear: our DCs must shed the vestiges of a colonial administrative mindset and bring the discipline, efficiency and professionalism of the private sector to public service. Technology and AI must become integral to everyday governance," he said.

He instructed that each DC will convene meetings with departments to ensure every directive reaches field officers without delay and translates into action.

"Assam's districts must compete to excel. I expect every DC to work towards making their district the finest in the country," Sarma said.

The day-to-day work of governance must keep pace with the reforms the government is pursuing, he said.

"Alongside these discussions, I also cleared over 85 files and wrote over 34 notes and letters to dignitaries," Sarma said.

The CM said that these deliberations will deliver tangible changes on the ground and this "is the commitment we leave Jorhat with".

READ MORE:Beyond survival: The future of Indian Muslims

The weight of the mandate is now with the administration, and they must rise to the occasion, Sarma added.