Civil services need to reinvent themselves and become proactive agents of change – Economic Times

By LC Goyal

Credible institutions are essential to ensure good governance political executive and civil services are two such institutions. The current political leadership, particularly at the Centre, is widely recognised as strong and decisive and as being focussed on both policy and implementation. Making of New India is the new normal.

This essentially comprises specific steps to facilitate higher economic growth, providing the poor and middle class their due, and a society based on greater equity and social justice. In order to realise this vision of New India propounded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, civil services will need to reinvent themselves. Public servants must redefine their role and become proactive 'agents of change', disrupting the status quo.

Indeed, they would need to possess a deeper sense of commitment to public service or the common good, and function as servants of the public rather than as officers. They can no longer have any excuses on this score. Equally, officers who take bona fide decisions in public interest and for the larger common good should be encouraged and provided protection in the event of false allegations or unsustainable inquiries initiated against them.

In 2013, when i worked in the cabinet secretariat as special secretary, we had issued instructions that no action will be taken against officers merely on the basis of anonymous or pseudonymous complaints. Further, we had also, in association with DoPT, initiated certain amendments in the Prevention of Corruption Act that, inter alia, are aimed at ensuring there is a clear distinction between misconduct and criminal misconduct and that retired officers are also protected from unnecessary investigation or prosecution for bona fide decisions taken by them.

Such amendments are still a work in progress. There is an urgent need to go through with these amendments to protect upright and diligent officers for doing their work conscientiously.However, accountability of public servants needs to be enforced more vigorously. It is generally believed that government officials are able to get away without adverse consequences for not doing work or not taking decisions. In other words, non-performers run no risk of being held accountable. This is not to deny that there are a good number of officers who do their duty sincerely, quietly and professionally.

It is welcome that Modi government has been taking steps to ensure accountability at higher levels of administration. Similar action is warranted below the level of joint secretary too. A majority of decisions are taken largely based on the notes written by director and under-secretary level officers.

Integrated Finance Division (IFD), which is headed by a joint secretary or an additional secretary level officer as financial adviser, also needs to be more positive and flexible in taking forward the agenda of New India, while adhering to the principle of financial prudence.They need to keep the big picture in mind. Indeed, the whole IFD system merits n analytical review to enable quicker an analytical review to enable quicker decision making and release of funds. A paradigm shift is needed in the mindset of officials working in IFD, to be in sync with the requirements of an India aspiring to be a global power. In my view, senior officers of civil services should also own responsibility to change their hackneyed approach.

The issue of accountability is even more critical at the lower rungs of bureaucracy at the state and sub-state levels, for the common citizenry has to come in frequent contact with lower level government functionaries and very often has to face their rent seeking behaviour, in other words petty corruption. Greater use of IT and making mandatory online delivery of public goods and services within given timelines at the Centre and particularly in states, with fines to be imposed on negligent and erring officials, will go a long way in enforcing accountability.

Another imperative of good governance is to ensure minimum government and maximum governance, as enunciated by Modi when the present government came to office in 2014.This essentially means greater ease of doing business and requires that rules, regulations, systems and processes of government functioning be rationalised and simplified. These need to be easy to understand and should not result in any delay. This would also require increased use of technology in every manner of interaction with government and government functionaries.

A lot of work is now being done at the Centre and in many states but a lot more remains to be done. This would not happen on the scale needed unless senior members of civil services show greater passion and initiative in this regard.

Apart from continued simplification of processes and systems, there is an urgent need to achieve rightsizing of government at different levels. The lesser the number of ministries departments, the better it is for governance.Such rationalisation or merger of certain ministries departments aims to reduce multiple structures, achieve better synergy and affinity between related subjects and ensure the desired outcomes in terms of better policy formulation, coordination and implementation. This exercise will also entail abolition of certain secretary level posts.

Public servants need to reaffirm their deep commitment to converting the vision of New India into reality. They should feel impatient and inspired to work with the political leadership in changing the status quo and making India a strong and inclusive country in its march towards being a global power.

The writer is CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation

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Civil services need to reinvent themselves and become proactive agents of change - Economic Times