What PM tells IAS officers when he meets them at Panchvati lawns in 7 RCR; 10 Things

PM interacting with joint secretaries, additional secretaries

ONCE more on Monday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with senior officials belonging to Indian Administrative Service (IAS) at 7 Race Course Road, his residence in New Delhi. It was an informal interaction with about 100 senior IAS officers of joint secretary and additional secretary rank, who were participating in a mid-career training programme. Earlier, on three occasions, PM invited secretary-ranked officials for high tea on the Panchvati lawns at 7 RCR to discuss administrative matters. Here are 10 things about PM’s four informal interactions with IAS officers so far:

1. On Monday, PM chose to meet about 100 IAS officers of the joint secretary and additional secretary ranks.
2. The officers were asked to share their experiences in areas such as development works, agriculture, irrigation and food-processing, inflation, public health, tribal and social welfare, female foeticide, and skill development.
3. On his part, PM emphasized the importance of continuous innovation and enhancement of administrative capacities and processes, according to a release issued by the PMO.
4. PM also spoke of the importance of judicious use of technology and infrastructure in administration and mentioned his interaction with various ministries and state governments through the PRAGATI platform.
5. PM urged officers to work with mutual team spirit and trust.
6. Earlier, on April 1, 2015, PM met secretary-ranked officers and asked them to “eliminate silos, if any, and speed up the process of decision-making”. PM also appealed the secretaries to talk more among themselves and added that a “communication gap” among their team-members was absolutely untenable.
7. On two other occasions when PM met the secretaries were on June 4, 2014, and then on November 1, 2014.
8. In his first interaction with secretaries, PM said, senior bureaucrats need to simplify and streamline the administrative rules and procedures to make them people-friendly.
9. PM further said on June 4 interaction that ideas should be converted into institutions because institutions last longer than individuals.
10. And then PM said, there is a need to clean-up the offices of secretaries and improve the workplace so that better work culture and efficient services to the citizens can be achieved.