New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) India’s economic transformation from being part of the ‘Fragile Five’ to a member of the ‘First Five’ is showcasing a remarkable shift driven by governance reforms, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

Inaugurating an international conference here, he said not not only India but the world today is discussing “Viksit Bharat”, the country's transformative journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said India’s economic transformation from being part of the ‘Fragile Five’ to a member of the ‘First Five’, showcasing a remarkable shift driven by reforms in public administration and governance.

He said that India’s impressive rise in the Global Innovation Index, moving from 81st to 39th place is a quantum leap.

The minister underscored key indicators of the success of India’s next-generation administrative reforms, citing the significant expansion of broadband connectivity, which now covers almost 80% of the population.

Singh lauded the government’s push towards financial inclusion, citing the rise of digital transactions and direct benefit transfers as key milestones.

With 46% of the total digital transactions occurring in India, he said that over 16.8 billion transactions were processed in just one month of October 2024, highlighting the positive socio-economic impact of these reforms, according to a Personnel Ministry statement.

The minister was speaking during the inauguration of a four-day international conference on governance dedicated to the theme  “Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Reaching the Last Mile” organised jointly by the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the government of India.

The event is being hosted for the first time in India with participation of nearly 55 countries from across the globe, the statement said.

Highlighting India’s technological advancements in governance, Singh said India is among the first countries to establish a National Quantum Mission and Open Network Digital Commerce.

The minister also highlighted India’s space achievements, including the Chandrayaan Mission, which made India the first country to reach the Moon’s South Pole, and the Aditya L1 Mission, which has made India one of only three nations to have a dedicated mission.

Additionally, he shared that the Department of Atomic Energy installed a "Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant" at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, addressing the daily load of one million liters of faecal sludge, according to the statement.

The minister also celebrated India’s breakthroughs in healthcare, including the first indigenous DNA vaccine and India’s first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to combat cervical cancer.

He further highlighted the indigenous development of the antibiotic Nafithromycin and the first successful gene therapy trial for hemophilia.

Tuesday's event was attended by key dignitaries, including IIAS President Ra’ed Mohammed BenShams, IIAS DG Sofiane Sahraoui and DARPG Secretary V Srinivas among others. PTI AKV AS AS