Work hard, take people along, Modi to IAS officers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told young IAS officers that the first 10 years of service were critical during which they needed to take everyone along with them.

Modi made the comments at an interactive session with IAS officers of the 2013 batch who have completed a three-month stint with the central government as assistant secretaries.

This is the first ever batch of IAS officers to commence their career with a stint in the central government, an official release said.

The prime minister told them that the lessons learnt on ground in the first 10 years were very important and would lay the foundation for their work.

They would have the opportunity to contribute the most for the good of the people during this period, he said.

"Our actions must be in tune with our vision. What we learn on the ground is very important," he said.

"These 10 years are very crucial for you. Make the most of these 10 years and ensure your foundations are strong...

"You are the people going to manage several districts across India. The positive change you bring will be beneficial for the nation.

"Tensions and struggles don't bring change," he said, adding it must be all about how to integrate people.

Modi said that very often their new ideas and vision may meet resistance from the older generation.

But the way to move forward was by working hard, and taking people along. "The key is to integrate people."

The officers gave presentations to the prime minister on six key themes including improving government communication, Soil Health Card scheme and National Mineral Exploration Policy.