Gandhinagar: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, the Gujarat government has decided to establish a dedicated Service Commissionerate to promote and regulate the state’s rapidly expanding service sector, Spokesperson Minister Jitu Vaghani announced after the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday.

Vaghani said Gujarat will become the first state in India to set up a separate Service Commissionerate and create the official post of Service Commissioner, providing institutional support to sectors such as information technology, tourism, logistics and other service-based industries.

He said the new body will function on the lines of the existing Industries Commissionerate, which has played a key role in the state’s industrial development. The Service Commissionerate will serve as the nodal agency for promoting service-sector growth, formulating policies, attracting investments and creating an enabling ecosystem for businesses operating in the sector.

According to the minister, Gujarat has traditionally been recognised for its strong manufacturing and industrial base. However, in recent years, the state government has focused on diversifying the economy by strengthening the service sector to ensure balanced and sustainable growth.

Vaghani said the formation of the Service Commissionerate was recommended by the Gujarat Rajya Institution for Transformation (GRIT) to facilitate the comprehensive development of service industries in the state. The process of establishing the commissionerate and appointing a Service Commissioner has already been completed, he added.

The minister said the initiative is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, particularly for young people, as service sectors such as IT, tourism and logistics continue to expand rapidly.

To support the new framework, the state government has proposed a Service Sector Growth Fund of Rs 100 crore for the financial year 2026-27. The fund will be managed under the Service Commissionerate and is aimed at providing timely growth capital to MSMEs and startups operating in the service sector.

Expressing confidence in the initiative, Vaghani said Gujarat has already emerged as a national leader in manufacturing and is now poised to become a major hub for service-sector development as well. DeshGujarat