The Ministry of Finance will host a two-day conference bringing together finance ministers and finance secretaries from states and union territories with legislatures on 18th and 19th September 2026 in New Delhi. The event, titled “Financing India’s Journey towards Viksit Bharat”, will focus on how the central and state governments can work together on India’s development priorities. Senior officials from across the government and several chief ministers are expected to attend.
What the conference will cover
The conference will examine how to finance India’s movement towards a developed economy by exploring policy coordination between centre and states. Three main thematic areas will be discussed across structured two-hour sessions:
- Macroeconomic overview
- Financing agricultural transformation
- Financing the energy transition
Background papers on these topics have already been shared with participants. These papers address subjects ranging from macroeconomic pathways and private financing options to goods and services tax implications for states, agricultural market financing, renewable energy infrastructure, and carbon capture technology.
The inaugural session will feature remarks from Anuradha Thakur, Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, and a keynote address by N.K. Singh, President of the Institute of Economic Growth and former Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission. Sudhir Shrivastava, former Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary of Maharashtra, will present the state perspective on financing development priorities.
The conference will also include inputs from other government departments. The Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation will discuss measuring growth outcomes, while the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will explain how modern technology supports effective governance.
What this means for you
This conference shapes how your state receives and uses central funds for key areas like farming, energy and infrastructure. The discussions will influence policies on everything from agricultural support to renewable energy investment that directly affect state-level services and development projects you rely on. If your state government is involved in planning or budgeting for these sectors, the outcomes of this conference may affect their approach.