A new work culture needed for bureaucrats : President

Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), July 4 (PTI) Asking bureaucrats
to remove the image of red-tapism, India's President Pratibha
Patil Saturday said there is need to evolve a new work culture
under which the administrative system is "goal-oriented".

The President also voiced her "serious concern" over
complaints of money being pilfered out of the system thereby
not reaching the beneficiaries in full measure.

"Our administrative system must become goal-oriented. A
new work ethic, a new work culture must be evolved in which
the government is result-bound and not procedure-bound," the
President said in her speech at the golden jubilee
celebrations of Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration
here.

This meant that the administrators would need to
transform themselves into professionals and oversee the
effective delivery of services, she told the new batch of
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationers.

"Bureaucracy, at times, evokes an image of red-tapism
and opaqueness. This needs to be negated by you," she said.

Emphasising that the administrative system must gear
up, the President said as the government moves to do more for
its people, its civil servants have to play a more dynamic and
creative role.

While discharging their duties, the officers should
find "innovative" means within the system to make it
responsive to the needs of the people, she said.

Patil said Government was committed to bring about
positive changes in the lives of the people and create growth
opportunities for all.

It has set forth a vision of an inclusive society,
economy and a growth process that is equitable socially and
regionally and spurs economic growth as well.

"You (IAS) are the implementers of the schemes and in
constant contact with the people. Your work, therefore, should
be development-centric and your attitudes people-friendly. The
business as usual attitude must change," the President said.

"We need officers, who can find innovative means within
the system to make it responsive to the needs of our people.
This means, they will have to be proactive about new
approaches and find new ways of doing things, which result in
an assigned task being done more efficiently and effectively.
IAS officers could be the harbingers of such a change," the
President said.

Noting that institutions are coming under scrutiny, she
said information was no longer the preserve of a few and there
was greater emphasis on transparency of work and
accountability.

There was also a feeling that money was being pilfered
out of the system and as a result, it did not reach the
beneficiaries in full measure, Patil said. "This is a serious
concern," she said.

Noting that the early reforms of the mid 1980s took on
new strength with the economic reforms, which began in 1991,
the President said this unleashed the potential of the people.

"People are no longer happy with what has been achieved
because they know India and they themselves have a greater
potential. Indeed, the world looks towards India with great
expectations," Patil said.

"Therefore as officers you must see that resources are
fully utilised for the purpose they are intended for whether
it is a road, school, hospital, an irrigation system, seeds
for farmers, welfare schemes for SCs, STs and women and
employment opportunities among others," she said.

Good governance was what the people were increasingly
expecting, she said adding this required the civil servants to
be accountable and to make people feel that the raison d'etre
of the administration was to work for them.

Patil called for establishing simpler and more
convenient systems while dealing with the public. The efforts
should be to take government to the doorsteps of the people
and in case of grievances, there should be a fast track
mechanism to address them.

"You have not only to be sincere in your work, but also
have to impress on the staff, who works with you to be
sincere. Corruption is a cancer you have to eliminate from the
administrative machinery," she said.

The President advised the IAS probationers to keep
their minds open and be ever willing to listen, watch and
empathize with those they work.

"Learn to respect the poor, do not neglect them," she
said and added, "It is only when you understand the pain of
the poorest of the poor and the aspirations of the youth that
effective results can be delivered."

Patil also called for eradication of social evils like
female foeticide, child marriage and drug addiction. She asked
the IAS officers to work as an agent of social change and
social reforms.

Noting that empowerment of women is important for
bringing about comprehensive development of the country, she
said to achieve this, administration must have a
gender-sensitive approach.

Patil also asked the IAS officers to make the people
feel that they are accessible. (PTI)