The 29th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) concluded in Jaipur on July 2, 2026, with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026 and the presentation of 17 National Awards across seven categories. Organised jointly by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Rajasthan government at the Rajasthan International Centre, the two-day conference was inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. Over 2,700 delegates participated in the event held under the theme “Viksit Bharat 2047: AI-enabled, Data-driven and Secure Digital Governance” , setting the direction for India’s digital transformation agenda.
National Conference on e-Governance: 29 Editions of Digital Transformation
The National Conference on e-Governance has been held annually since 1997, making it one of India’s longest-running platforms for digital governance discourse. It is jointly organised each year by DARPG and MeitY in partnership with a different state government. The 28th edition was hosted in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in September 2025 under the theme “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation.”
DARPG, established in its present form in 1985, functions under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P) . It is the nodal agency for administrative reforms, public grievance redressal, and promoting good governance practices across central and state governments. The department also administers the National Awards for e-Governance and the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) framework.
MeitY is the nodal ministry responsible for India’s IT policy, the Digital India programme, and the administration of the Information Technology Act, 2000. It plays a central role in building India’s digital public infrastructure and promoting technology adoption in governance.
The 29th NCeG: Theme and Key Deliberations
The theme “Viksit Bharat 2047: AI-enabled, Data-driven and Secure Digital Governance” reflected the government’s vision of using technology as a tool to achieve developed nation status by 2047. The conference featured 6 plenary sessions and 6 breakout sessions with over 60 speakers from diverse backgrounds.
The plenary sessions covered AI-Based Governance for All, bridging the digital divide through Voice-First Solutions in Public Services, Deep Tech and Quantum Driven Digital Transformation, AI for Smart Policing and Public Safety, Citizen-Centric Governance and Inclusive Governance, and Digital Interventions to Enhance Access and Quality of School Education.
The breakout sessions focused on urban transformation through technology, secure digital infrastructure, grassroots governance, and presentations by award-winning initiatives. Delegates from over 80 central ministries and departments, 28 states, and 8 Union Territories participated. The event also saw the participation of more than 1,000 startups and over 400 academic institutions. NASSCOM and Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, served as knowledge partners.
Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Rajasthan’s Information Technology and Communication Minister, addressed the inaugural session and outlined the state’s digital governance initiatives. An exhibition showcasing national e-governance deployments and innovations was also inaugurated alongside the conference.
Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026
The conference concluded with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026, presented by Smt. Sarita Chauhan, Additional Secretary, DARPG. The declaration lays out a comprehensive roadmap for advancing AI-enabled, data-driven, secure, and citizen-centric digital governance in alignment with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Addressing the concluding session, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, emphasised that human-led AI would be the defining force behind India’s journey to becoming a developed nation. He stated that technology must strengthen governance without replacing human accountability, and that the real challenge lies in deploying AI responsibly with citizens remaining at the centre of every technological intervention.
The declaration envisions a governance framework where the speed and analytical capabilities of AI are combined with human judgement, constitutional values, and democratic accountability. It calls for technology to amplify human capability, strengthen institutional credibility, and improve citizen experience while remaining anchored in ethics and transparency.
National Awards for e-Governance 2026
The National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) are presented annually by DARPG to recognise and promote excellence in implementing e-governance initiatives. The awards seek to acknowledge significant achievements, encourage innovation, and foster the sharing of effective practices in digital governance.
For the 29th edition, 17 projects were selected across seven award categories. The distribution included 10 Gold Awards, 6 Silver Awards, and 1 Jury Award. Gold Awardees receive a trophy, certificate, and an implementation incentive of ₹10 lakh, while Silver Awardees receive ₹5 lakh along with a trophy and certificate. The incentive is intended to support further implementation of public welfare projects.
The seven award categories are Government Process Re-engineering for Digital Transformation, Innovation by Use of AI and New Age Technologies for Citizen-Centric Services, Best e-Governance Practices and Innovation in Cyber Security, District Level Initiatives in e-Governance, Grassroots Level Initiatives by Gram Panchayats, Replication and Scaling of Nationally Awarded Projects, and Digital Transformation through Data Analytics.
Key Award-Winning Initiatives
| Project | Organisation | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Agri Stack | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare | Gold |
| e-Jagriti | Ministry of Consumer Affairs | Gold |
| Mahakumbh 2025 Management System | Prayagraj Mela Authority, Uttar Pradesh | Gold |
| Blood Bag Traceability and Citizen Interaction Portal | Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council | Gold |
| AI-enabled Clinical Decision Support in eSanjeevani | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | Gold |
| District Court Case Management System | High Court of Kerala | Gold |
| ICMR-MINDS Mental Health Platform | Indian Council of Medical Research | Gold |
| Security Product for Threat Intel and DNS Filtering | Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad | Gold |
| Integrated Cyber Security Framework for Digital Banking | Bank of Baroda | Gold |
| E Nagar Palika with Cyber Security | Urban Development and Housing Department, Madhya Pradesh | Gold |
| Pune 360 | Pune Municipal Commission, Maharashtra | Silver |
| Trinetra AI-based Surveillance System | Mahakaleshwar Temple Trust, Ujjain | Silver |
| Panchayat Advancement Index | Ministry of Panchayati Raj | Silver |
| Real Time Precise Positioning through CORS Network | Survey of India | Jury Award |
The awards were presented by Dr. Jitendra Singh during the valedictory session on the second day of the conference. The breadth of winning projects, from national agricultural data infrastructure to temple security systems and grassroots panchayat initiatives, illustrates the wide reach of e-governance across India.
The Road to Viksit Bharat 2047
The 29th NCeG marked a significant shift in India’s approach to digital governance. The conference moved beyond the question of whether technology should be used in governance to how it can be deployed securely, equitably, and at scale. The emphasis on AI, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and voice-first solutions reflects the government’s recognition that the next phase of digital transformation must be both technologically advanced and inclusive.
India’s Digital India programme, launched in 2015, has already transformed service delivery through initiatives such as Aadhaar, UMANG, DigiLocker, eSanjeevani, and CPGRAMS. The Jaipur Declaration builds on this foundation by setting a clear direction for the integration of AI and data analytics into public administration, while ensuring that security and citizen trust remain central to the process.
The conference also highlighted the importance of grassroots governance. The inclusion of a dedicated category for Gram Panchayats in the awards and the recognition of initiatives like Kadepur Gram Panchayat and Bijoy Nagar Gram Panchayat underscore the push to take digital services to the village level. The focus on voice-first solutions aims to bridge the digital divide by making services accessible to those who may not be literate or comfortable with text-based interfaces.
With participation from over 1,000 startups, the conference also signalled the government’s intent to tap into India’s vibrant tech startup ecosystem to build innovative governance solutions. The role of NASSCOM and MNIT Jaipur as knowledge partners further strengthened the industry-academia-government collaboration that will be crucial for realising the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Key Takeaways
- The 29th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) was held on July 1-2, 2026 at the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, jointly organised by DARPG, MeitY, and the Rajasthan government.
- The conference adopted the Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026, which outlines a roadmap for AI-enabled, data-driven, and secure digital governance aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
- The National Awards for e-Governance 2026 recognised 17 projects across seven categories with 10 Gold Awards (₹10 lakh each), 6 Silver Awards (₹5 lakh each), and 1 Jury Award.
- The National Conference on e-Governance has been held annually since 1997, jointly organised by DARPG and MeitY.
- DARPG, established in its present form in 1985, functions under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P) and administers the National Awards for e-Governance and the NeSDA framework.
- Over 2,700 delegates, including representatives from more than 1,000 startups and over 400 academic institutions, participated in the conference.
