Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 7 : Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy said here today that with the change of Government at the Centre, the entire context and concept of governance is on the verge of undergoing reorientation to suit the current needs and requirements of 21st century India and that the last four months of the Modi Government have focused on making the governance people-friendly with the avowed objective of “maximum governance, minimum Government”.
Dr Jitendra Singh was delivering inaugural address at the 3-day International Symposium on Excellence in Public Service and Public Administration which began at the Taj Mahal Hotel here today. The symposium began with the customary lighting of traditional lamp by the Minister along with Cabinet Secretary, Govt. of India Ajit Kumar Seth, UN Resident Coordinator Lise Grande and Secretary Administrative Reforms, Govt. of India N Ravi Shanker.
The Symposium is being attended by delegates and representatives from over 21 countries as well as New Delhi based Ambassadors of different countries and senior bureaucrats from different States who will engage in three days of hectic brain-storming to exchange notes on the best practices in administration followed by them.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that even though Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is a legacy of erstwhile Indian Civil Services (ICS), the challenges and responsibilities before an IAS officer are much more herculean. Citing an instance, he said, while erstwhile ICS officer was expected to collect revenue and impose the writ of British Empire on the masses, an IAS officer in independent India is, on the contrary, expected to generate revenue and act as a friendly messenger between political establishment and civil society. Moreover, in 21st century, with the increasing levels of accountability and transparency, the answerability and expectations from a civil servant have also increased manifold.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, world as a whole is undergoing transition and in India particularly the pace of transition is much faster. While free market economic system has brought changes in the world economy order, India has also embarked on the path of economic reforms and this requires the administration to gear itself to accomplish the task of balancing social welfare with compulsions of a free market economy, he added.
Referring to his Ministry’s emphasis on e-governance, Dr Jitendra Singh linked it with the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ launched by the Modi Government and said, over 60,000 files had been done away with as a part of cleanliness drive in Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) itself and this will also act as one step forward towards raised level of performance with paperless file work using new technology.
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