15 August,2026 04:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis said that young people would play an important role in building a developed Maharashtra and a developed India. Pic/Special Arrangement
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the CM Fellowship Programme will bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and technology into the state administration.
Speaking at the appreciation and commencement programme for the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme 2026, Fadnavis urged fellows to use their experience to bring positive change in their respective fields and become ambassadors of transformation.
He also said that young people would play an important role in building a developed Maharashtra and a developed India.
Fadnavis said that while the government has experienced and capable officers, working in the same way for a long period can sometimes reduce creativity and contact with ground realities.
The fellowship programme aims to bring new ideas into the administration while giving young people an opportunity to understand how the government functions, he said.
He stressed that the fellowship was not a one-way learning experience. The administration also benefits from the new ideas and perspectives brought by the fellows.
"Without understanding the aspirations and working methods of the new generation, inclusive governance is not possible," CM Fadnavis said, adding that the administration must become more dynamic and open to change.
The Chief Minister highlighted the contribution of CM fellows to several government initiatives, including the startup policy, Maharashtra State Innovation Society, district-level war rooms, government dashboards, GIS mapping for Jalyukta Shivar, Magel Tyala Shettale, e-governance, grievance redressal systems, chatbots and Maharashtra Unique Infra ID.
He also said fellows had played an important role in the government's 100-day and 150-day programmes.
Their work included housing schemes, the Mukhyamantri Samruddha Panchayat Raj Abhiyan, Lakhpati Didi, creating market opportunities for farmers and women's self-help groups, and initiatives in education and healthcare in tribal areas.
Fadnavis urged fellows not to think, "How much change can I bring alone?"
Instead, they should begin the process of change themselves and use the experience gained during the fellowship to understand people's aspirations and needs, he said.
He encouraged the new batch to set a goal of doing better and more innovative work than previous batches.
Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said fellows should spend more time at the grassroots level to understand people's problems and provide meaningful feedback to the administration.
He said fellows should visit villages and interact directly with residents, field-level staff, anganwadi workers and ASHA workers.
Such interactions would help them understand ground realities and suggest practical improvements to Maharashtra government schemes and processes, Agrawal said.
Agrawal said fellows could seek guidance from district collectors, chief executive officers, sub-divisional officers, project officers and municipal commissioners.
While technology and new digital applications were important, he stressed that understanding the actual situation on the ground was equally necessary.
He urged fellows to identify areas where government processes could be simplified and provide useful feedback to senior district officials.
During the programme, the Maharashtra government signed a memorandum of understanding with IIT Bombay for a new Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Technology Development and Public Policy, starting from the 2026-27 academic year.
Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal signed the agreement on behalf of the Maharashtra government, while Professor Bakul Rao represented IIT Bombay.
Commissioner of Economics and Statistics Dr Jyotsna Padiyar gave the introductory remarks and outlined the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme.
Senior government officials, IIT faculty members, fellowship programme coordinators and CM fellows attended the event.
