While unanimously agreeing on the need to reorient the work culture within the Government set up, officials of three key ministries - Power, Coal as well as New and Renewable Energy on Monday decided to have a re-look at service rules which principally govern the functioning of bureaucracy, in order to weed out archaic provisions. It could be done through a panel comprising of representatives of all the three ministries.
In a conclave titled 'Connect, Coordinate and Communicate' (Sampark, Samanvya evam Samvad), organised by the aforementioned ministries - and which was attended by officials ranging from clerks to the Secretaries of these departments - it was decided that in order to make the Government set up more people friendly and sensitive towards the needs of the poor, a committee comprising of officials from the three ministries should be formed to review service rules.
Sources privy to the development in the meeting said that though no formal decision has been taken to set up a committee, a decision to this effect could be taken soon.
Initiated by the Narendra Modi Government to improve the work culture of bureaucrats, Minister for Coal, Power and New & Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal said while addressing the conclave that "all of us will have to look at ourselves as truly public servants in our effort to change the image of the Government, change the image of 'Babu log' as people call us".
Goyal asked the officers to "give people confidence that we are responsive to their needs, we are concerned about their problems and we will act judiciously, in a transparent manner".
"I would request you to look at this proceedings with a bit seriousness," he told the officers. I am getting so many phone calls telling me that three departments alone can add between one-and-a-half to two per cent to the economic growth....We do not have the luxury of time. Result should be evident within this year," Goyal said.
Addressing the officials, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, who was the chief guest at the conclave, said the BJP-led NDA Government is for poor and bureaucrats should serve them with compassion.
"We are for poor. They are the new aspirational class. They have given us mandate and we have to serve them. ...Compassion and feeling for the people, oneness with the people, duties for the people...That is I think that has to be the base of every officer," Javadekar said.
Author Chetan Bhagat was roped in by the Government to give the bureaucrats a pep talk. Top officials as well other officers from the three departments also spoke in the conclave.