After author Chetan Bhagat’s pep talk to the babus, it was motivational speaker and the author of You Can Win, Shiv Khera’s turn. On Friday, he asked the officials of Environment Ministry and Information and Broadcasting — both headed by Prakash Javadekar — to shed babudom and adopt a more open flexible and open attitude.
He was addressing the leadership and motivation conclave, a two-hour interactive sesssion. It was a part of Modi Government’s unconventional ways to inspire the bureaucracy. Earlier, Minister for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal had invited Chetan Bhagat to speak to bureaucrats.
Javadekar said that two-way dialogue between people and Government was the process of Administrative Reforms. This would establish a roadmap for the participation of people for two-way communication.He was addressing the delegates at the leadership and Motivation Conclave, which was organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change here on Friday. For his part, Khera tried to inspire his audience by narrating several anecdotes and sharing personal experiences.
He even had an interactive session with the bureaucrats, answering their queries. He stressed the importance of people’s participation for creating a conducive environment in which institutional development could take place. According to him, infusing new ideas and innovation is the mantra for infusing fresh spirit in the Governance model and related practices.Javadekar, further said, “There is need to change the perception of the people about the bureaucracy.” He pointed out that there was a need to change the perception of the people about the bureaucracy.
Officials need to work with compassion, conviction and with a positive mindset so as to facilitate the needs of the people. They will need to look at themselves as truly public servants in their effort to change the image of the Government, “change the image of ‘Babu log’ as people call us,” the Minister said.He said that the concerns of the people should be addressed “in a polite, decent and very caring fashion” so that people start looking up at “you as a role model of good governance”.
He stressed that the Government is for poor. They are the new aspirational class, who has given their mandate and the Government has 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,” said Javadekar.The Minister categorically stated that there would be complete freedom for doing work. He asked the officers to give people the confidence that the Government was responsive to their needs and was concerned about their problems.