Instead of making new rules, Govt. abolished old ones: Dr. Jitendra Singh Inaugurates Central Government Workshop on Implementation of e-Office and e-governance

Instead of making new rules, Govt. abolished old ones: Dr. Jitendra Singh

Inaugurates Central Government Workshop on Implementation of e-Office and e-governance

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, here today, that the Narendra Modi Government has followed its commitment for ease in governance in letter and spirit, and one of the most glaring evidence of this lies in the fact that while every government takes pride in enacting new rules and legislations, in the case of present government, instead of making new rules, government abolished several old and obsolete ones. In this context, he mentioned the abolition of rule for getting the attestation of certificates and also the rule for a life certificate to be produced by every elderly pensioner. He was addressing the inaugural session of the Central Government Workshop on Implementation of e-Office and e-Governance.

Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled that the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi had during his Independence day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, suggested whether it was possible to do away with the practice of holding interviews for posts where it was not absolutely essential and in less than one month of this, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) and Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (ARPG) had already started the exercise and some of the States like Maharashtra have made a big headway in this direction.

Rules are meant for the benefit of the common masses, said Dr. Jitendra Singh and added that any rule which adds to the burden of governance and causes delay or harassment for the common man is not worth being retained. The litmus test of good governance or ease of governance lies in whether or not its benefits have reached the last man in the last queue as was the Antyodaya teaching of our founding father Deendayal Upadhyaya.

The key to Good Governance, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, lies in reducing red-tapism, expediting procedures through electronic and digital means, riddance from rules which are obstructionist and providing an environment which enables officers to perform their best. While expectation level of people from bureaucrats and administrators has gone high, the society also expects them to show quick results in tune with the high-tech fast moving global world, he added.

Shri Devendra Chaudhry, Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Department of Pensions & Pensioners Welfare (DARPG and D/o P&PW), in his welcome address, reminded the young IAS officers that five important things to bring change are: Leadership, people who can lead, processes, mindset and legacy. He also reminded the remarks of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi made on 21st April, 2015 during Civil Services Day that five Es of governance are effort, easy, economical, efficient and electronic.

Shri Bhaskar Khulbe, Additional Secretary in PMO in his address revisited article 51 (a) (h) of Constitution of India which provides for developing scientific temper, humanism, enquiry and reform. Thus, the duty of government is to create architectural framework for providing change in module of office and bring transparency, effectiveness and technology in government workings.

Ms. Usha Sharma, Additional Secretary, DARPG, senior officials of DARPG have participated in the workshop. The Workshop was organized especially with the intention to sensitize the Indian Administrative Service Officers of 2013 Batch, who have been recently deputed to the Central Ministries / Departments as Assistant Secretaries for playing a pivotal role for initiating faster implementation of the e-Office Project across all the Central Ministries / Departments.