Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh held here today the 75th Quit India commemoration at union capital’s North Block head quarters, with the administration of a pledge to work for “New India” and accomplish in the next five years up to 2022, an India which is free of terrorism, casteism, corruption, poverty and uncleanliness. Senior officers in the Govt of India, including union Secretary Personnel Ajay Mittal, were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it is a unique privilege for all of us that destiny has blessed us to be a part of the government establishment at a time when India observes the 75th year of Quit India Movement. It is also yet another privilege, he said, that we are commemorating this occasion in this Conference Hall in North Block which was the seat of power of the British administration in 1942 when the Quit India Movement was launched and where, possibly, the British Government might have held some crucial meetings to plan how to demolish the movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi from the August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
It is again a great moment of vindication for all of us that we are commemorating the virtues of Quit India Movement sitting in this capital office complex of North Block, where at one point of time, the Quit India movement must have been denounced in the strongest possible words by the then powers-that-be, he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, just as beginning from 1942, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, there was a fast-track sequence of events, one after the other, culminating in independence in 1947, similarly, today’s occasion calls upon us to embark on a determined fast-track journey, emulating the ideals of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Sardar Patel, to lead India from 75 years of Quit India commemoration to 75 years of independence and usher in an India which is free from all the negative impediments like corruption, poverty, terrorism and casteism.
Being a Nodal Ministry in the Government of India, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Ministry of Personnel is bestowed with the mandate to set the administrative guidelines for the other Ministries and also to continuously develop reforms and innovations for other wings of the Government to follow. This, he said, confers upon us a unique responsibility of spearheading the crusade against corruption declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after the formation of government three years ago and the commitment for which has been accordingly incorporated in the “Quit India Pledge” taken today.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, DoPT has undertaken the crusade against corruption at two levels. On the one hand, he said, all the competent administrative authorities have been directed to review the service records of all the government officials and accordingly, more than 10,000 service records have been reviewed so far and nearly 140 officers have been given premature retirement on the basis of their performance and other factors. On the other hand, at the same time, he said, a work-friendly environment is sought to be provided to increase the motivation of such officers who perform their duty with integrity, diligence and sincerity.
Responding to a brief presentation made on Swachhta cleanliness, Dr Jitendra Singh expressed satisfaction to note that out of the five States of Indian Union declared ODF (Open Defecation Free) declared so far, three namely Sikkim in Northeast, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are among the Hill States. He said the goal of making India ODF is not only a physical goal but also psychological goal meant to make the mind ODF free so that it becomes part of our inherent habit to observe cleanliness.
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