“Our bureaucracy, policy-making cannot operate on outdated systems”: PM Modi

New Delhi|April,21: Asserting that the bureaucracy and policy-making cannot operate on outdated systems, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the real progress is not about small changes, but about large-scale, meaningful impact.
Addressing the 17th Civil Services Day event at the Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, PM Modi extended his best wishes on the Civil Services Day. “I extend my best wishes on the Civil Services Day…This year’s Civil Services Day is very special for many reasons. This year, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our Constitution. It is also the year of the 150th anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel…A civil servant who considers the service of the nation as their highest duty, who democratically runs the administration, and is filled with honesty, discipline, and dedication, working day and night for the nation’s goals…today when we are moving forward towards making Viksit Bharat, theses words of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel becomes more significant,” PM Modi said.
He further said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel set new limits for the bureaucracy of independent India.
“On April 21, 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel called all of you the ‘Steel Frame of India’. He set new limits for the bureaucracy of independent India. A civil servant who considers serving the nation as his best duty, who democratically runs the administration, who is full of honesty, discipline and dedication,” he added.
PM Modi said that the policies they are working on will shape the future of the next thousand years.
“Some time ago, from the Red Fort, I said that today’s India must strengthen the foundation for the next thousand years. We have passed the first twenty-five years of the thousand-year span. This is the twenty-fifth year of this new century and also the twenty-fifth year of the new millennium. The policies we are working on today, the decisions we are making, will shape the future of the next thousand years…For achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat, the development wheel has to work accordingly, and we all have to work very minutely for this goal,” he said.
The Prime Minister emphasised that India’s aspirational society — be it the youth, farmers, or women — holds unprecedented dreams and ambitions.
“Today, we are in a world that is changing at a fast pace. Our bureaucracy and policy-making cannot operate on outdated systems. That is why, since 2014, systemic change has been actively pursued. We are transforming ourselves at great speed. India’s aspirational society — be it the youth, farmers, or women — holds unprecedented dreams and ambitions. To fulfil these aspirations, we need an equally unprecedented pace of progress,” PM Modi said.
He further expressed his happiness that this year’s Civil Services theme is the ‘Holistic development of India’.
“I am happy that this year’s Civil Services theme is the ‘Holistic development of India’. It is not just a theme, it is our commitment to the nation. Holistic development means that no family, citizen, or village is left behind. Real progress is not about small changes, but about large-scale, meaningful impact. Every home must have clean water, and every child must have access to quality education,” he said.
PM Modi said that he believes quality in governance is not achieved merely by launching schemes, but by ensuring how deeply they impact the citizens of the country.
“It’s about understanding the real, on-ground effect. We are seeing this impact across various districts, from increased school attendance to the adoption of solar power. Many districts have fulfilled their commitments, and several have been recognised for their efforts,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister further said that they have often discussed aspirational districts, but the success of aspirational blocks is equally important.
“We have often discussed aspirational districts, but the success of aspirational blocks is equally important. This programme was launched in January 2023, and within just two years, unprecedented changes have been seen in key indicators, health, social development, and basic infrastructure. In some places, these blocks have even surpassed the state averages. For example, in the Peeplu block of Tonk, Rajasthan, just two years ago, the measurement efficiency of children was around 20 per cent at Anganwadi Centres. Today, it has risen to over 99 per cent,” he said.
Mentioning Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, Jagdishpur’s significant improvement, PM Modi said that “Pregnant women registration was at just 25 per cent in the first quarter, and it has now increased to over 90 per cent. Similarly, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Marwah block, institutional deliveries.”
Earlier, PM Modi released e-Coffee Table Books on ‘Holistic Development of Districts for Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration’ and ‘Select Innovations from Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration’.
The Prime Minister also conferred the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration for effective implementation of identified priority programmes and innovation to districts and central and state governments.
Civil Services Day is an occasion for the Civil Servants across India to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizens and renew their commitment to public service and excellence in their work. This date was chosen to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Service Officers in 1947 at Metcalfe House, Delhi.