The Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar said that Civil services are the backbone of governance, and have played a fundamental role in the implementation of Government policies in the country. He was addressing senior officers and other dignitaries at the release of the book ‘Reflections on India’s Public Policies’, co-authored by 1984 batch officers of the Indian Administrative Service, at the Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas in New Delhi today.

The Vice President noted that India’s governance model, with its focus on transparency, accountability, digitisation, innovation and entrepreneurship, is the envy of the world. “Empowerment and upliftment of vulnerable sections have been effected with successful schemes, ensuring that even the most marginalized citizens have access to essential services,” he said.

The Vice President, Shri Dhankhar called on Civil Servants to serve the Nation with PRIDE. This, he elaborated, implies Public service without personal biases, Rule of law implemented at grassroots levels, Integrity in dealings with the public, Devotion to duty, and Efficiency in achieving policy targets.\

Shri Dhankhar also highlighted the critical role that can be played by retired civil servants as a unique valuable national human resource. “Retired Civil Servants are eminently positioned to neutralise and antidote false and anti-national narratives, from within and without, seeking to unjustifiably taint and tarnish our constitutional institutions and democratic values,” the Vice President underlined.

The Vice President recognized that democratic governance poses its own unique challenges, and exhorted the civil servants to exhibit unwavering and steadfast commitment to rule of law and constitution. “Political ingratiation of officials with the ruling dispensation in some parts of the country is severely straining the sublimity of Federalism. This calls for systemic focus by all concerned,” he highlighted.

‘Reflections on India’s Public Policies’ brings together the insights and analyses of ten IAS officers of the 1984 batch, on tackling some of the most critical issues facing the country, across diverse areas of public policy. Retired as well as Senior Officers across several Civil Services were also present at the event.

Click Here for  full text of the Vice President’s Speech

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 MS/RK/RC