Develop connect with people: PM tells IAS officers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday encouraged a group of newly-recruited IAS officers to develop a connect with the people around them in course of their duties.

He was addressing a valedictory session of 176 IAS officers, who served in various central government departments as assistant secretaries.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister noted that the assistant secretaries programme offers the junior-most and senior-most officers the opportunity to interact with each other, according to a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry.

Modi encouraged the young officers to imbibe the best from the experiences that they would have had, during their attachment to various ministries as part of this programme.

He exhorted the young officers to keep in mind the expectations that people have from government, and to do their best to fulfil those expectations, in whatever positions they serve in, during their career, it said.

"The prime minister encouraged the officers to develop a connect, with the people around them, and with the people they serve, in course of their duties," the statement said.

He said that developing a close rapport with people, is one of the keys to achieving success in their tasks and objectives.

Eight selected presentations were made by these IAS officers, on themes such as raising farm incomes, soil health cards, grievance redressal, citizen-centric services, power sector reform, tourist facilitation, e-auctions, and smart urban development solutions during the programme.

The prime minister appreciated the presentations made by the young officers.

Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, Additional Principal Secretary to the prime minister, P K Mishra, Secretary, DoPT, C Chandramouli and other senior officers also attended the function.

The posting of these IAS officers is part of a unique initiative started by the central government to groom bureaucrats at the Centre before they move out to their respective state cadres.

All IAS officers are allotted cadres - which could either be a state or group of states. The officers are supposed to start their career in their respective cadre states.