Govt departments must modernise to meet rising public expectations: Murmu

It is essential for government departments to modernise their systems by making the best use of emerging technologies to cater to the ever-rising expectations of the public for efficiency in service delivery, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday.

Addressing a group of probationers from different government services, she asked them to keep abreast of advanced technologies, skills and strive to create more citizen-centric, efficient and transparent governance systems.

The probationers from the Indian Civil Accounts Service, Indian Post and Telecommunication (Finance and Accounts) Service, Indian Railway Management Service (Accounts) and the Indian Postal Service had called on the president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

There is an ever-rising expectation among the public for greater speed and efficiency in service delivery, along with increased transparency and accountability, the president said.

"To cater to these requirements, it is essential for government departments to modernise and digitise their systems by making the best use of emerging technologies," Murmu said.

Such technologies include machine learning, data analytics, blockchain technology and artificial intelligence, she added.

Addressing the probationers from the Indian Civil Accounts Service, Indian Post and Telecommunication (Finance and Accounts) Service and the Indian Railway Management Service (Accounts), the president said a strong public financial management system was the foundation of good governance.

"Keeping pace with the fast-changing technology is another area of challenge. You have to take measures to make accounting and payment systems smooth and effective," she said.

Their role goes beyond optimising the use of financial resources and "involves analysing the impact of policies and suggesting inputs to improve governance systems, including the financial management systems", she added.

Speaking to the probationers from the Indian Postal Service, she appreciated the efforts of India Post Payments Bank for financial inclusion, particularly for rural and under-served populations.

"You have the unique opportunity to make the postal department and services more customer-centric, innovative, digitised, inclusive and sustainable. You have to ensure that the postal network continues to serve as a big uniting factor in a vast and diverse nation as ours," Murmu said.

"You should remember that you will be able to play a vital role in empowering citizens, especially the less privileged, through enhanced connectivity and financial inclusion," she added.

She expressed hope that the officers would make all efforts not only to excel in their individual careers but contribute to effective delivery of government services.