Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, highlighted the importance of professional project management in achieving desired outcomes from government initiatives. Speaking at the 15th Project Management South Asia Conference (PMSAC 23) in Chennai, Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan stressed the need for good intentions and a professional approach in executing government projects.

"I think project management is in dire need now because of the evidence we have of how many projects have experienced cost overruns and time delays. It is likely to become even more important as time progresses due to growth and greater complexity in execution. So, I'm very pleased that, for the first time, the South Asian conference is being held in Chennai. Such conferences not only facilitate the exchange of ideas but also foster connectivity among people and networks, which, over time, will benefit us in many ways," said Palanivel Thiaga Rajan.

The minister emphasised that the essential assets of a politician and government include humanity, compassion, empathy, and execution capability. "Everyone has good intentions, but the key question is, can you actually deliver outcomes? Professional approaches like project management are vital in ensuring that the best intentions translate into tangible benefits for the people. A conference like this in Chennai adds immense value to our ecosystem of professionalism and execution capability, ensuring that we get outcomes rather than just intentions," he added.

Reflecting on the theme of PMSAC 23, Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan discussed the AI revolution, describing it as a continuum rather than a paradigm shift. He highlighted the ability to extract patterns and generative intelligence from vast data collections, emphasizing the impact on various aspects, including job nature, process efficiency, and privacy and risk management considerations.

The meeting was organised by the US-based Project Management Institute. The project management profession is experiencing high demand, with predictions of reaching a market size of approximately $6.5 billion and an annual CAGR growth rate of 5.5 percent. With an expected 2.9 percent economic growth in 2023, the need for hiring 2.5 million project managers globally is imminent.

The Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reports a cost overrun of government projects in the infrastructure sector, amounting to about Rs. 4.84 lakh crores. The primary reason behind these overruns is the lack of project management practices, emphasising the importance of the project management profession in assisting government projects, as highlighted by President of PMI Chennai Chapter Parvez Alam M.

In addition to physical infrastructure, project management principles, tools, and practices are also making a difference in the social sector. The PMI Chennai chapter's project management professionals collaborated with the Avatar NGO to train approximately 3000 girl students in rural Tamil Nadu schools in project management life skills. This initiative, known as "Project Puthri," aims to encourage impoverished girl students to pursue careers.

 

Media: DECCAN CHRONICLE