An international audience at London Metropolitan University witnessed a compelling account of how India has leveraged technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and outcomes in large-scale public projects, as IAS officer Sonal Goel addressed the packed gathering.
The 2008 batch Tripura cadre IAS officer was invited to deliver a lecture on ‘The Art and Science of Project Management: Lessons from India & Beyond’.
Sonal Goel shared that she began her lecture with a poignant reminder of India’s past challenges- that only 15 paise of every rupee in welfare spending reached beneficiaries, and how the inefficiencies persisted until the launch of the Digital India Mission in 2014, a bold initiative aimed at eliminating these systemic flaws under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi.
She elaborated on the Jan Dhan Yojana, which brought over 50 crore citizens into the banking fold, laying the foundation for Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT). And how this move empowered millions, come out of the poverty by ensuring subsidies and welfare benefits reached the rightful recipients without middlemen.
In her lecture, Goel also touched upon successful design and implementation of projects like Aadhaar, UPI, Smart Cities Mission, PM-Jal Jeevan Mission and explained how communication played a critical role in the success of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign.
Sonal further emphasized the pivotal role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in dramatically expanding India's national highway network from 91,287 km in 2014 to an impressive 1,46,145 km by December 2023. She also highlighted how the Government of India effectively harnessed AI and Blockchain technologies in initiatives like Bhulekh, revolutionizing land record digitization and security, thereby enhancing governance, transparency, and service delivery.
Few will debate the fact that India’s transformative programs have not only reshaped its domestic landscape by lifting 415 million people out of poverty in India over the past decade as per UN but also gained global recognition as models for other nations.
For the audience at London Metropolitan University, Goel's lecture was both inspiring and enlightening, as it highlighted how a New India is charting its path towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Post her lecture Sonal also presented her book, ‘Nation Calling’ to Prof. Aravind Upadhyay e professor at Guildhall School of Business & Law at the University.
As part of her London tour, Sonal also delivered a lecture and attended a panel discussion at Westminster University where she spoke on 'Empowering Youth and Promoting Healthy Living.'
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