New Delhi: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said civil servants have to become citizen friendly in the new governance model for effective delivery of services.
Inaugurating the 15th civil services day celebration at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, he said this is an important occasion for a “serious introspection” as to how we move forward from here to further improve the governance. “Civil services is dedicated to common man and that is its ultimate goal. All of us say that. I think we have no option but to be citizen friendly. Because I can foresee the time when citizens are going to take up a large part of governance,” said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of maximum governance and minimum governance, he said, “The true meaning of civil services day is dedication to the common man, and each civil servant must have steely resolve to bring significant improvements in the lives of the common people”.
Speaking about the theme the theme for civil services day 2022 – ‘Vision India@2047 – governance, bringing citizens and government closer’ — Singh said, over the years, the expectations of the common man has increased and civil servants have to do serious introspection about their future role with a clear focus on delivery.
He said, we must focus on officers having 25 years of active service ahead and the current officers must help in their capacity building for making India a frontline nation when it celebrates its 100th year of independence in 2047.
The minister said, today, one cannot visualise India at 2047 through the prism of 2022.
He said, the future governance models may redefine the role of a civil servant and governance may pass on more and more to the citizen domain, thus truly personifying the spirit of “maximum governance and minimum government”.
Singh said the nature of indices relevant to 2047 must be perfectly visualised.
The minister said an intricately interwoven interface of technology, new indices and artificial intelligence may take over in a big way in coming years.
Singh said the civil services day marks an occasion to celebrate the untold examples of civil servants doing the right thing and producing results in critical areas using innovative approaches.
It is also an occasion to mark the seminal changes in the Indian administration, to rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in the service of the nation, he said.
Highlighting Mission Karmayogi’s main mantra of moving from ‘rule to role-based governance’, the minister said civil servants must train themselves for a new and challenging assignment as most of the flagship schemes of the government are now hugely science and technology-based.
Singh also inaugurated an exhibition on the awarded initiatives of 2019, 2020 and 2021 on the identified priority programmes and innovations and chaired a plenary session on the topic ‘Vision India @ 2047-governance’.
In his address, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba said civil services day is a day of celebration as well as for reflection and introspection.
He said, transformational approach of aspirational districts proves what regular indicator-based monitoring can achieve and now the saturation approach will ensure that benefits of welfare schemes will reach to the last man in the queue.
Gauba said technology can be a big game changer in governance as he cited the example of CoWIN portal for vaccination which, according to him, has been acknowledged globally.
He also lauded civil servants at all levels in the country for playing a magnificent role in the fight against COVID-19.
Gauba said civil servants must focus on delivery to remain relevant in the present challenging scenario.
In his address, Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) V Srinivas said the PM awards for excellence in public administration have been instituted with a view to recognise the extraordinary and innovative work done by districts and organisations of the central and state governments for the welfare of the common citizen.
The prime minister will confer the awards for excellence in public administration 2021 for effective implementation of identified priority programmes and innovation to districts/implementing units and other central/state organisations on April 21, to mark the 15th civil services day, he said.
The government celebrates April 21 every year as civil services day as an occasion for civil servants to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizens and renew their commitments to public service and excellence in work.
It is to commemorate the day when the first home minister of independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, addressed probationary administrative services officers in 1947 at Metcalfe House in Delhi.
Promoting ‘Jan Bhagidari’ or people’s participation in the Poshan Abhiyan, promoting excellence in sports and wellness through the Khelo India scheme, and digital payments and good governance in the PM SVANidhi Yojana are among those that have been identified for the awards.
Besides these, holistic development through the ‘One District One Product’ scheme, seamless, end-to-end delivery of services without human intervention and innovations have also been identified for the presentation of the awards on Thursday.
Ten awards for five identified priority programmes will be given this year, while six awards will be given to organisations of the central and State Governments, and districts for innovations.
