London: The Commonwealth Secretaries of Public Service/ Secretaries to Cabinet meeting held from April 22 to 24, at Marlborough House, London, lauded India’s Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) as a best practice in governance. In the outcome statement of the Third Biennial Pan-Commonwealth Heads of Public Service Meeting issued on April 24, the Commonwealth Secretariat highlighted CPGRAMS alongside other innovative governance models from across member countries.
Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), made a compelling presentation on CPGRAMS on April 23, earning commendation from Commonwealth Member countries. The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Ms. Patricia Scotland KC, praised CPGRAMS as a state-of-the-art grievance redressal system and a benchmark for SMART government. She underscored its potential to benefit the remaining 1.2 billion citizens of the Commonwealth, akin to the positive impact witnessed by India’s 1.4 billion citizens.
The theme of the meeting, ‘Institutionalisation of SMART Government to enhance public service delivery,’ focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance. It brought together Commonwealth Heads of Public Service, Secretaries to Cabinet, Senior Public Officials, industry champions, and scholars to explore ways to optimize e-services for optimal service delivery and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The meeting highlighted the importance of digital government and emphasized the role of transformative technologies like AI in enhancing efficiency, delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and spurring growth and development. Member countries acknowledged the critical leadership provided by the Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium (CAIC) in advancing AI adoption across the Commonwealth, particularly in Small States.
Furthermore, delegates recognized the Commonwealth Hub for the Business of Government’s role in supporting capacity-building initiatives, promoting good governance, and facilitating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also emphasized the significance of sustainable funding for technical assistance and stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in public institutions.