Centre for Innovation in Governance

The Tamil Nadu Round Table 2025, hosted by the State Planning Commission Tamil Nadu, and Guidance Tamil Nadu, in collaboration with Business Standard, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts for an insightful discussion on the state’s economic future.

The event featured a Keynote Address by TRB Rajaa, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu, highlighting Tamil Nadu’s strategic vision and policy-driven growth.

This roundtable reinforced Tamil Nadu’s commitment to policy-led industrial growth and technological innovation. With bold reforms, strong government backing, and industry collaboration, Tamil Nadu is set to lead the next wave of manufacturing and innovation.

Wishing everyone a joyous and prosperous Pongal!

இந்த இனிய பொங்கல் நன்னாளில் உங்கள் வாழ்வில் மகிழ்ச்சியும், நல்வாழ்வும் பெருகட்டும்!

As we celebrate this festival of harvest, let us cherish our cultural heritage and step into a season of abundance and prosperity

#தைப்பொங்கல்

The State Planning Commission Tamil Nadu participated in Umagine TN 2025, Government of Tamil Nadu’s flagship tech event inaugurated by the Hon’ble CM of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. M. K. Stalin and spearheaded by Hon’ble Minister for IT and Digital Services, Thiru. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan.

Representing the SPC, Member Secretary Tmt. Sudha Ramen, IFS., shared her insights as a panelist on the session “Policies for Innovation Ecosystem”.

The Centre for Innovation in Governance, an initiative of the State Planning Commission, is playing a pivotal role in addressing challenges in the public sector by ushering innovation in governance.

The Member-Secretary outlined how the CIG works collaboratively to identify sectoral issues, develop solutions and improve service delivery through innovation.

The event reflected the Chief Minister’s ambitious vision of transforming Tamil Nadu into a trillion-dollar economy driven by focusing on innovation and knowledge. The State’s initiatives, from hackathons in higher education to public-private collaborations, demonstrate a commitment to creating a robust ecosystem where governance, industry and academia converge.

The panel also featured key thought leaders shaping Tamil Nadu’s innovation landscape. Thiru. Ambalavanan Ramaswamy IA&AS, discussed EDII-TN’s success in nurturing over 870 incubatees and fostering grassroots innovation, while Tmt. Vanitha Venugopal of Tamil Nadu Technology Hub (iTNT Hub) Hub showcased Tamil Nadu’s strides in deep tech and emerging technologies, emphasising funding and policy support for startups.

The Centre for Innovation in Governance wishes you a wonderful and impactful 2025!

The panel discussion on "Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions in Blockchain" featured experts exploring blockchain's transformative potential in governance, finance, and public services. Moderated by Thiru Dilip Chenoy, Chairperson of the Blockchain Working Group, BWA, the panel included Thiru Santhosh K Misra, IAS (Retd.), Partner, PwC; Thiru Rakesh Ranjan, Chief Digital Officer, RBI Innovation Hub; Thiru Krishna Rajaraman, CTO, Intellect Design Arena Ltd.; and Thiru Jaideep, Partner, Trilegal.

The discussion emphasized the importance of privacy, verification, and tokenization in blockchain to prevent credential tampering, aligning with data protection regulations. Panelists highlighted blockchain’s potential in simplifying processes like loan access for farmers, enhancing governance through efficient subsidy tracking, and addressing cybersecurity risks through education and skill development. Legal and regulatory challenges were underscored, with a call for a sandbox approach to test applications and adapt existing frameworks.

Key takeaways included integrating blockchain with current systems, fostering public-private collaborations, incentivizing industries, and building a skilled workforce. The panel envisioned Tamil Nadu as a frontrunner in blockchain adoption by creating Web3 hubs and a supportive regulatory ecosystem.

The Technical session on “Unlocking Blockchain Potential” featured compelling insights from Tmt. Sunita Verma, Joint Secretary, MeitY, and Thiru Vikram Subburaj, CEO, Giottus Technologies, highlighting its transformative potential in governance and public services.

Tmt. Sunita Verma IAS, Joint Secretary, MEITY, emphasized blockchain's role in secure record-keeping and efficient application development, showcasing initiatives like the Vishwasya Blockchain Framework and proof-of-concept projects such as contract management and certificate verification. She also highlighted the need for a cyber-secure infrastructure and collaboration between the Centre and states for a unified blockchain framework.

Thiru Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus Technologies, explained blockchain's core properties like immutability, decentralization, and transparency. He highlighted its potential to improve governance, public policy, and finance in Tamil Nadu through implementation across sectors, public-private partnerships, and investments in education and infrastructure.

These sessions underscored on this how blockchain can drive secure and efficient systems, fostering governance innovation and economic growth.

The convention - “Unlocking Blockchain Potential: Enabling Tamil Nadu's Digital Growth and Transforming Governance” featured thought-provoking insights from our special guests.

Dr. J Jeyaranjan, Vice Chairman SPC reaffirmed Tamil Nadu’s leadership in innovation, emphasizing its economic benefits and capacity to modernize public services.

Dr. Ezhilan Naganathan, MLA and Member of the SPC, highlighted the potential of blockchain to streamline healthcare operations. He shared examples like vaccine tracking, where blockchain enables secure and accurate record-keeping while ensuring real-time monitoring of distribution. These applications demonstrate how blockchain can address critical challenges and enhance efficiency in healthcare systems.

Thiru Kumar Jayant, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Information Technology, and Digital Services Department, emphasized blockchain’s potential to strengthen governance and called on stakeholders to prioritize robust regulatory measures and secure adoption aligned with governance frameworks.

Tmt. Sudha Ramen IFS, Member Secretary, State Planning Commission set the context for the day by sharing an overview of the Centre for Innovation in Governance. She also reiterated CIG's focus on GovTech as one the key focus areas for driving technology led innovations in public service delivery.

State Planning Commission Tamil Nadu

The keynote address of the convention - “Unlocking Blockchain Potential: Enabling Tamil Nadu's Digital Growth and Transforming Governance” featured thought-provoking insights from our special guest.

Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, delivered a visionary keynote on blockchain’s role in transforming governance. He elaborated on its practical applications, including secure digital credentials, decentralized systems, and MSME credit validation, highlighting blockchain’s potential to enhance public service delivery. Drawing from global best practices, the Hon’ble Minister outlined the state’s effort towards embracing technological advancements through GovTech.

State Planning Commission Tamil Nadu Startup TN iTNT Hub nasscom Web3 Association

The State Planning Commission Tamil Nadu, through the Centre for Innovation in Governance (CIG), hosted the first convention of its GovTech series, "Unlocking Blockchain Potential: Enabling Tamil Nadu's Digital Growth and Transforming Governance” on 19th November 2024. This event was conducted in partnership with Startup TN, iTNT Hub, nasscom, and Bharat Web3 Association.

The Hon’ble Minister for IT & Digital Services, Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, inaugurated the event and highlighted the blockchain's transformative role in governance. He also shared his insights on leveraging Blockchain’s potential within industries particularly in finance and supply chain, drawing from global best practices. Dr. J Jeyaranjan, Vice Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, delivered the inaugural speech, emphasizing the state’s strategic vision to leverage blockchain for long-term economic growth and governance excellence.

The Inaugural session was attended by Thiru. Kumar Jayant IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of IT and Digital Services, Dr. Ezhilan Naganathan, MLA and Member, SPC, Tmt. Sudha Ramen IFS, Member Secretary, SPC from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Tmt. Sunita Verma, Joint Secretary, MeitY, provided insights on the blockchain policy, regulation and various efforts taken by the Government of India in fostering blockchain ecosystem in the country.

The convention featured a range of technical sessions and discussions aimed at demystifying blockchain technology and exploring its applications.

The State Planning Commission Tamil Nadu and the Centre for Innovation in Governance is privileged to announce that Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, will grace the GovTech convention on "Unlocking Blockchain Potential - Enabling Tamil Nadu's Digital Growth and Transforming Governance" on 19th November, 2024 as the Keynote speaker. The Hon'ble Minister's transformative vision and deep understanding of the intersection of technology and governance have been instrumental in positioning Tamil Nadu as a leader in digital innovation.

Blockchain technology, with its attributes of permanence, clarity, and distributed trust, holds immense potential to revolutionize governance and drive innovation. The Hon’ble Minister’s participation in this event underscores the State's commitment to fostering a culture of technological advancement and collaboration, creating opportunities for Tamil Nadu to lead in this rapidly evolving domain.

We eagerly look forward to his insights on leveraging blockchain for the future of Tamil Nadu’s digital ecosystem. Let us explore the transformative power of blockchain under the guidance of a leader committed to progress and innovation.