New Delhi [India], December 21 (ANI): Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, along with Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra, chaired the Chintan Shivir of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, at Hampi in Vijayanagara district, Karnataka.

On Saturday, all Secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Chairmen of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), and the Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India were also present, besides senior officers from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and associated departments.

In a session on 'AI, Ease of Doing Business & Financing for Viksit Bharat', the discussions focused on strengthening institutional capacity and policymaking through the use of artificial intelligence, technology-enabled systems, and process reforms to improve Ease of Doing Business.

Deliberations covered simplification of procedures, regulatory predictability, coordinated inter-departmental functioning, efficient fund flows, future-ready tax administration, financing pathways for sustained growth, and leveraging digital tools for transparency, efficiency, and accountability.

In her remarks, Minister Sitharaman reflected on the historical significance of the Vijayanagara region, noting that it represents one of the closest examples of an Indian empire at its peak barely 500 years ago, with its imprint visible across large parts of the subcontinent.

She also drew attention to the contrast within the same district--where magnificent monuments coexist with drought-prone areas facing low agricultural productivity and human-animal conflict--underscoring the need to remain grounded in present-day developmental realities. (ANI)