HYDERABAD, AUGUST 10, 2026: Dr. T. V. Somanathan, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, held a Video Conference with the Chief Secretaries of all States on August 10, to discuss the proposed “Reform Utsav” initiative of the Government of India.
The Cabinet Secretary informed the participating States that the Reform Utsav initiative will be launched in October 2026 with the objective of giving greater emphasis to citizen participation in the reform process. The initiative seeks to ensure that citizen voices and suggestions are identified, deliberated upon, converted into actionable reforms and ultimately implemented or progressed through a committed roadmap.
The initiative will be implemented in three phases.
Three-Phase Implementation
Phase-I: Preparation (August–September 2026)
The preparatory phase will focus on establishing the Governance Framework, undertaking Sensitization activities and conducting Awareness Campaigns to facilitate effective implementation of the initiative.
Phase-II: Reform Utsav (October–December 2026)
The main Reform Utsav activities will comprise:
– Jan Manthan (Discover): From October 1 to October 31, 2026, with a focus on identifying issues and suggestions from citizens and stakeholders.
– Vimarsh (Deliberate) and Jan Samadhan (Deliver): From October 10 to November 30, 2026, focusing on deliberation and delivery of quick wins and medium-term reforms.
– Sankalp Siddhi: From October 10 to December 20, 2026, comprising national and sub-national events to drive the reform agenda.
Phase-III: Follow-up (From December 28, 2026 onwards)
The follow-up phase will focus on regular monitoring of structural reforms and submission of ARTs, as prescribed under the initiative.
State-Level Coordination Mechanism
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized the need for active participation of both the Central and State Governments in the Reform Utsav initiative.
At the State level, each State Government will constitute a State Coordinative Committee (SCC) headed by the Chief Secretary. A State Nodal Officer (SNO) will also be appointed to coordinate the implementation of the initiative. Appropriate nodal arrangements will also be made at the district level.
The initiative will primarily be implemented through the concerned State Line Departments and Ministries, ensuring that reforms are translated into concrete actions at the field level.
Reform Utsav Portal
The Government of India will launch a dedicated Reform Utsav Portal to facilitate participation, collection of suggestions, monitoring and coordination of reform-related activities. The portal will be made available in regional languages, enabling wider participation from citizens across the country.
Telangana Participation
From Telangana, Shri Sanjay Jaju, Chief Secretary, along with senior officials including Shri Naveen Mittal, Shri Stephen Ravindra, IPS, Shri B. Papi Reddy, Law Secretary, Shri Anudeep Durishetty, Shri Ahmed Nadeem, Shri Mahesh Dutt Ekka, Shri Gourav Uppal, Smt. Swathi Lakra, Smt. Devasena and Smt. Divya Devarajan, participated in the Video Conference.
The State Government will take necessary steps for establishing the required coordination mechanism and for effective implementation of the Reform Utsav initiative through the concerned departments and field-level authorities.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening citizen-centric governance by creating a structured pathway for transforming public suggestions into meaningful and measurable reforms.I can also prepare a more concise 1-page Telangana Government press release version, with a stronger headline and media-friendly language.
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