Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Apr 25 : Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today discussed COVID combat measures with former bureaucrats from across the country through video conference, in a bid to brief them about the efforts being made by the Modi Government to contain the COVID pandemic and also to obtain their inputs and suggestions in this regard.
In a one-and-half hour long interaction, the senior officers who put across their views included Satyananda Mishra (IAS’73/MP), P. Panneervel (IAS’78/Guj), Rama Sundram (IAS’79/TN), Sudhir Bhargava (IAS’79/Raj), K V Eapen (IAS’84/AM), Rakesh Kumar Gupta (IAS’86/J&K), Shiela Sangwan (IRS’76) and Sangeeta Gupta (IRS’84).
Dr Jitendra Singh gave a chronology of a series of measures undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a proactive basis, as a result of which, India’s record was much better compared to most other countries of the world. He said, today even the more developed countries of the world are looking forward to India, not only for support in terms of medicine supplies like chloroquine but are also trying to learn from India’s experience in fighting COVID pandemic.
Describing all the senior bureaucrats as men of wide experience, both inside the Government and outside, Dr Jitendra Singh said their feedback and inputs carried great value because for several years, as part of the Government, they are familiar with the working of the Government machinery and at the same time, after superannuation they have the opportunity to view the things from another perspective as well. At the same time, he said, they are more familiar with the State and place where they had settled after superannuation and can therefore also offer suggestions specific to that region.
The economic and social scenario in the post – lockdown period also came up for discussion and officers had some important inputs to offer based on their experience of having worked with different Departments of the Government including those related to Finance, Commerce and Taxation.
During the video-interaction, the former bureaucrats also underlined issues like phased withdrawal of lockdown, more usage of technology in administration e.g. e-office, fiscal stimulus to kick-start the economy, financial security to the poor, introduction of more online courses and exams to utilize the academic year and facilitation of migrant workers to reach their native places.
Building up individual immunity through Vitamin C intake, AYUSH and other drugs as well as development of vaccines and testing kits indigenously to give a fillip to Make in India concept, also came up for dicussion.
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