“The root cause of the socio-economic problems is the persistent gap between the privileged and underprivileged sections of the society. The civil servants should use their power and authority, in a positive fashion, in order to reduce this gap to provide a strong foundation for the growth trajectory of the country”, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has observed.
Inaugurating the “91st Foundation Course” for All India Services and Central Civil Services, conducted by Dr MCRHRD Institute, on behalf of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie and sponsored by Department of Personnel & Training, Govt. of India, the Governor said the officers have to make sincere efforts to ensure that fruits of economic development reach people belonging to weaker sections of society.
Narasimhan said that civil service, which is considered as “steel frame” of the country, delivered impeccably in the past and gained global acclaim. However, merely doing a good job is not enough and call for a concerted effort in the direction of addressing the wrong perceptions of different stake holders and managing the image of civil service in a professional fashion. He called upon officers to find time to meet people with problems and make sincere attempts to find solutions for them with a sense of empathy. “The levels of literacy and education are on the rise and there was an expectation explosion on the part of people from the civil servants. A face-to-face contact with them is the mantra for instant and enduring success”, he added.
The Governor said the officers in the contemporary India are always on the radar of print, electronic, and social media, and also that of civil society. He urged them to do their duty sincerely, maintain highest levels of professional and personal integrity, and face extraneous pressures with courage and conviction. He said the job of a civil servant is extremely challenging and stressful. However, he advised them to maintain the work-life balance. “Spending quality time with spouse and children, pursuing a hobby, taking care of health, and enjoying life are great stress busters”, he added
Vinod K Agrawal, IAS, Director General, Dr. MCR HRD Institute and Special Chief Secretary to Government of Telangana, said the prerequisite for learning is an inherent motivation to learn. He stated that training is a continuous process, rather than a one-shot affair. He urged the Officer Trainees to keep learning throughout their lives from their own experiences and those of others as the work place is changing at a mind-boggling pace and there is a pressing need to keep the skill set current and up-to- date.
Anitha Balakrishna, Joint Director General and Course Coordinator said the Course, which involves a fusion of academic, outdoor, extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, is aimed at equipping the officer-trainees with a core set of values, skills and knowledge that would help them in their respective careers. “Over 140 officers from across the country, including six officers of the Royal Bhutan Police Service, are attending the Foundation Course”, she added.
Dr R. Madhavi, Additional Course Coordinator, conducted the proceedings. Prof. O. Vijayasree, Academic Advisor for the Course, proposed a vote of thanks. (NSS)