Dharamshala, 17 October, 2026: The two-day National Conference on e-Governance Reforms concluded in Dharamshala on Saturday, with deliberations on cybersecurity, digital innovation, data analytics and grassroots-level initiatives aimed at strengthening accountable, transparent and citizen-centric governance.
During a session on Best Practices in e-Governance: Replication and Data Analytics, Scientist Rohit Tyagi of the Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad, presented a security product for threat intelligence distribution and a DNS filtering service. Ajay Kumar, General Manager and Group Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Bank of Baroda, highlighted key aspects of an integrated cyber security framework for building a resilient digital banking ecosystem.
Dr. K.P. Suresh, Principal Scientist at ICAR-NIVEDI, Bengaluru, delivered a presentation on the National Animal Disease Referral Expert System. Capt. Ritesh Wahi, Head of Department (CSC), Ministry of Defence, discussed quantum-safe VPN technology. D.C. Rana, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), outlined the progress made in dizitising the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for apple procurement in Himachal Pradesh. The session was moderated by Abhishek Verma, Director, Digital Technologies and Governance, and Managing Director, Milkfed.
Another session, focusing on the National Awards for e-Governance: State, District and Grassroots-Level Initiatives, showcased innovative governance practices from different parts of the country. Rahul Jagtap, System Manager, Pune Municipal Corporation, presented Pune-360. Sandeep Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Latehar, Jharkhand, highlighted the successful implementation of Sampurna Shiksha Kavach by the district administration. Sanjeev, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Raipur, outlined the benefits and potential of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). The session was moderated by Sandeep Kumar, Secretary, Tourism, and Divisional Commissioner, Kangra.
Director, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India, Dr. Tushaba Shinde and Additional Secretary, DARPG, Puneet Yadav shared their perspectives on e-governance reforms and appreciated the Himachal Pradesh Government for hosting the national conference successfully in Dharamshala.
Delivering the vote of thanks during the valedictory session, A. Shainamol, Secretary, Administrative Reforms, Government of Himachal Pradesh, said the conference had provided a valuable platform for learning from the experiences and achievements of different states in e-governance. She emphasised the importance of replicating successful initiatives and adopting best practices to address emerging governance challenges and explore new avenues for digital transformation.
The conference brought together senior administrators, policymakers and technology experts from across the country to exchange ideas, share successful models and explore ways to make governance more efficient, secure, transparent and responsive to citizens' needs.