Patna: In collaboration with Georgia State University, a two-day international conference on “Public Policy and Management” has commenced at the Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP). Bihar Chief Secretary Brijesh Mehrotra, the chief guest at the event, inaugurated the conference on Monday. In his address, Mehrotra highlighted Bihar’s good governance model and stressed the importance of sustainable development achieved through a participatory approach that includes all societal stakeholders.
The conference’s theme, “Promoting Good Governance and Local Development in Bihar and Beyond: The Latest Scholarship and Practice,” aims to foster discussions on effective governance practices. Prof. Charles Hankla from Georgia State University detailed the public policy initiatives undertaken by the International Centre for Public Policy at Georgia University, Atlanta. Prof. Anjali Thomas of the Georgia Institute of Technology presented her research on local governance in Bihar.
A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Sudhanshu Kumar from the Bihar Institute of Public Finance followed. During the session, Jehanabad District Magistrate (DM) Alankrita Pandey discussed the integrated Hospital Management System (BHAVYA) and the improvements in the health system facilitated by the Learning Management System (LMS). Banka DM Anshul Kumar shared the challenges and success stories from the health sector in Banka.
A woman Mukhiya from Bhojpur district shared her experiences and challenges related to Open Defecation Free (ODF) and Open Space Reclamation (OSR) initiatives. In the evening session, Dr. Debraj Bhattacharya from Azim Premji University presented on the challenges and offered suggestions for enhancing local democracy in Bihar. Prof. Yugank Goyal from Flames University shared an intriguing case study on electoral competition and representation in Bihar.
The conference attracted numerous research scholars and faculty members. Today’s sessions include presentations on poverty alleviation, health, energy security, sustainability, and agriculture. A special session dedicated to entrepreneurship in Bihar will feature panellists from various corporate houses. Dr. S. Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary (Education), is scheduled to deliver a special address at the conference.
