New Delhi, December 20 (IANS). Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday discussed simplification of processes, regulatory predictability, synergistic working between departments, efficient flow of funds, future-ready tax administration, financing methods for sustainable growth and use of digital tools for transparency, efficiency and accountability.
Sitharaman, along with Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra, chaired a brainstorming session of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs in Hampi in Karnataka’s Vijayanagara district.
All Secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India were also present. Also present were senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs and related departments.
In a session on ‘AI, Ease of Doing Business and Financing for a Developed India’, the discussion focused on strengthening institutional capacity and policy making through the use of Artificial Intelligence, technology-enabled systems and process reforms to improve ease of doing business.
Sitharaman also spoke on the historical significance of the Vijayanagara region, noting that it represents one of the closest examples of an Indian empire at its peak just 500 years ago, whose imprint is visible across large parts of the subcontinent.
He also pointed out the contrast of the same district, where magnificent monuments exist, with drought-stricken areas, where there is low agricultural productivity and man-animal conflict, emphasizing the need to remain connected to today’s development realities.
Earlier in the day, Sitharaman launched a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project to develop five Artificial Intelligence, STEM and robotics labs in government schools in Karnataka.
The Minister launched Cyient AI Labs- ‘VijaiPatha’, a CSR-led national initiative to democratize access to Artificial Intelligence, STEM and Robotics education in government schools in Hospete Taluk in Hampi, Karnataka.
–IANS
SCH/DKP