Narendra Modi tells bureaucrats to take speedy decisions

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked all wings of the government to work in a synchronised manner and pressed the bureaucracy to take speedy decisions, promising that “honest decision-making with good intention would always be encouraged”.

Good governance should be a priority for the officers, he said during an interaction with a group of over 70 additional secretaries and joint secretaries in the central government, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Modi asked the officers to focus attention on the 100 most backward districts of India, so that they can be brought up to the national average level, on various development parameters.

The prime minister said the combination of development and good governance is essential for the welfare and satisfaction of citizens, the statement said about the interaction that took place last evening. He emphasised the need for all wings of the government to work in harmony and synchronisation to achieve the best possible results, it added.

Underlining the importance of breaking silos, he pressed for efficient internal communication between various departments of the government. Modi said all officers must keep the poor and the ordinary citizens in their minds while taking decisions, the PMO said.

The prime minister said this was a unique opportunity for the officers to deliver their utmost for the benefit of the nation. He underlined the necessity of speed and efficiency in decision-making and said that “honest decision-making with good intention would always be encouraged by the union government, the statement added.

During the interaction, officers shared their experiences on subjects such as a digital and smart governance, administrative procedures and accountability, transparency, doubling of farmers’ income, skill development, Swachh Bharat, consumer rights, environment protection, and building of new India by 2022, the PMO said.

The prime minister said the world is looking towards India with positive expectations. He said the entire world feels that a successful India is vital for a global balance. There is also a strong undercurrent for excellence from the common citizens of India, he said, adding that youth from humble backgrounds, with very limited resources are achieving best positions in competitive exams and sports. He asked the officers to work to promote this spontaneous upsurge of talent, recalling the spirit and energy that they themselves would have possessed in the first three years of their service.