The Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, addressed the Officer Trainees of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) of the 2023 and 2024 batches at the Vice-President’s Enclave today.

Welcoming the officer trainees, the Vice-President noted with pride that the Defence Accounts Department has a rich legacy of over 275 years, making it one of the oldest departments of the Government of India.

The Vice-President said that as the nation moves towards the ambitious goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, civil servants will play a pivotal role in translating this vision into reality. He recalled the clarion call given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the Amrit Kaal and emphasized that development must focus on inclusive growth and last-mile delivery. He said youthful energy and innovative thinking of the young officers would be vital in nation-building and urged them to adopt “Seva Bhav and Kartavya Bodh” as their guiding mantra.

Underscoring the significance of the Indian Defence Accounts Service, the Vice-President said that the Service plays a critical role in managing the financial resources of the Indian Armed Forces and allied organisations. As the accounting and financial authority of the Defence Services, he said, officers must understand and assimilate the challenges faced by the Armed Forces while discharging their duties.He emphasized that prudent financial management is essential to ensure the operational readiness of the Armed Forces.

The Vice President  stressed the need to maintain the highest standards of integrity, transparency, vigilance, and accountability, especially since public money represents the hard-earned contributions of taxpayers.

The Vice-President also stressed the importance of continuous capacity building in an era marked by rapid technological and scientific advancements. He encouraged officers to make effective use of platforms such as iGOT Karmayogi for lifelong learning.

Speaking on values in public service, the Vice-President said that while knowledge is essential, character is paramount. He reminded the officers that among India’s 140 crore citizens, they have been entrusted with a rare opportunity to bring about positive change in society and must exercise this responsibility with humility and dedication.

Responding to a question from an officer trainee on expectations from civil servants in the journey towards Viksit Bharat, the Vice-President urged them to remain innovative, adaptive to modern technologies, enthusiastic in their work, empathetic in approach, and ethical in administration.

The event was attended by Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary; Shri Vishvajit Sahay, Controller General of Defence Accounts; Shri Raj Kumar Arora, Financial Adviser (Defence Services), among others.

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PR/ASM