Motivating civil servants

♤ There is need to recognise the outstanding work of serving civil servants including through National awards. Awards for recognizing good performance should also be instituted at the State and district levels.

♤ Selections for foreign assignments should be made, based on the recommendations of the Central Civil Services Authority.

Civil service reforms aim at strengthening administrative capability to perform core government functions. These reforms raise the quality of services to the citizens that are essential to the promotion of sustainable economic and social development.

Reforming public services poses a major challenge before the government. The biggest obstacle comes from the bureaucracy, which, with its deep vested interest, resists any attempt to make it performance oriented and accountable.

There is a need for political will at the highest level to bring meaningful reforms. It is time Government makes a sobering realization that public service reform is an essential pre-requisite to alleviate poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition and deprivation from the country and make India a happy, healthy and prosperous place to live.