Prime Minister Narendra Modi told senior officials of the government that they must not be afraid of taking decisions and promised to stand by them.
In a meeting of all Secretaries to the Government of India, Mr. Modi said that rules and procedures that are archaic must be done away with and urged the officials to approach him with ideas regarding improving governance. He called on them to “begin with cleaning-up of the offices and improving the workplace,” and deploy technology to overcome bottlenecks
A government release said the last such meeting of the PM and the Secretaries was eight years ago. “The Prime Minister listened extensively to suggestions and comments of the Secretaries for nearly two and a half hours. Shri Modi empathised with the sentiment expressed by the Secretaries, and their anguish in not being able to realise their true potential because of circumstances. However, he expressed full faith in their commitment and competence to build a better future for the country,” a release from the PMO said.
The Premier called upon the senior bureaucrats to simplify and streamline the administrative rules and procedures to make them people-friendly and emphasised the need for a team spirit. The PM added that in the process of governance, ideas should be converted into institutions as institutions lasted longer than individuals, the statement said.
