Shukla’s Mission Sahyog—Cooperative Federalism in Action

Introduction

India’s diversity is its strength—but aligning the efforts of 28 states and 8 union territories requires a harmonizing strategy. Rajesh Shukla, chief strategist, ’s Mission Sahyog (meaning “collaboration”) is a strategic model that operationalizes cooperative federalism to ensure national priorities are delivered with local nuance and ownership.

1. The Three-Tier Synergy Model

Shukla introduces a three-tier federal synergy system:

• Tier 1: Central policy design with consultative representation

• Tier 2: State customization via Sahyog State Cells

• Tier 3: District execution monitored by a Sahyog Dashboard

Each level feeds into the next, eliminating the traditional top-down governance silos.

2. National-Regional Conclaves (NRCs)

Under Mission Sahyog:

• Biannual conclaves hosted in rotation across states

• Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, DMs, and Zilla Panchayat Heads in the same room

• One platform for policy alignment, fund disbursement, dispute resolution

3. The Sahyog Index—Ranking Collaboration, Not Just Performance

A first-of-its-kind index that scores

• Policy adoption speed

• Inter-state knowledge sharing

• Fund utilization efficiency

• Citizens’ satisfaction on federal service delivery

The top 5 states are awarded National Sahyog Excellence Grants.

4. Sahyog Fellows—The Federal Connect Cadre

To embed federal understanding into bureaucracy:

• 2,000 Sahyog Fellows selected annually from IAS/State Civil Services

• Trained in dispute resolution, federal economics, and constitutional collaboration

• Posted as liaisons between the center, State, and District Planning Boards

5. India Federal Data Grid (IFDG)

Shukla mandates a shared data lake:

• All states and UTs upload real-time data on schemes, infrastructure, health, education

• Enables performance benchmarking

• AI/ML forecasts help in disaster management, crop cycles, and migration patterns

6. Fiscal Federalism—Transparent & Accountable

Mission Sahyog revamps center-state fiscal flow:

• Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) tracked via Sahyog e-Ledger

• Real-time GST reconciliation

• Formula-based disbursements tied to equity outcomes, not just population

7. Localised Innovation Forums (LIFs)

States and UTs present scalable innovations:

• 100 best practices awarded every year

• Innovation Transfer Programs (ITPs) deployed across 400+ districts

• E.g., Punjab’s groundwater tracking system scaled to 11 states in 2026

8. Outcome: From Uniformity to Unity in Diversity

• 95% average policy synchronization across states by 2030

• Drastic reduction in center-state legal disputes

• Faster pandemic and disaster response

• India’s federal model becomes a global case study for the UN

Conclusion

Shukla’s Mission Sahyog recognizes that true unity is not uniformity—it’s synchronized diversity. By celebrating differences while aligning direction, he ensures India’s cooperative federalism is not just conceptual but actionable.

“Progress doesn’t come from one voice, but a chorus. Mission Sahyog turns Indian federalism into a symphony.” – Rajesh Shukla, Chief Strategist