Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged young IAS officers to place citizens at the heart of governance, adopt a whole-of-government approach to solving developmental challenges, and contribute towards the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047.
Interacting with 183 IAS officer trainees of the 2024 batch who are currently attached as Assistant Secretaries in various ministries and departments, the Prime Minister said the officers had reached a crucial stage in their careers where their decisions would impact the lives of crores of citizens.
The interaction was held at Seva Teerth in New Delhi as part of the Assistant Secretary programme, under which IAS trainees are attached to Union ministries after completing field training.
Addressing the officers, Modi said the real test of public service begins with handling real-life situations with integrity, sensitivity and commitment. He urged them to dedicate themselves to nation-building through innovation and citizen-centric governance.
Emphasising the mantra of “Nagrik Devo Bhava”, the Prime Minister said every administrative file represents the aspirations and concerns of people and called upon officers to ensure governance remains empathetic, responsive and inclusive.
He also stressed the need for a whole-of-government approach, saying major developmental challenges cannot be addressed in silos and require effective coordination among departments.
Referring to the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, Modi said every policy and administrative decision taken over the coming decades should contribute towards building a developed India. He highlighted priorities such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat, manufacturing growth, energy security and creating opportunities for the youth.
The Prime Minister noted that governance in the past decade had shifted from being process-centric to result-oriented and highlighted the growing role of digital governance, artificial intelligence and technology in improving service delivery and transparency.
Calling for data-driven governance, he said data should be viewed not merely as numbers but as a reflection of the lives and aspirations of millions of people. He urged officers to regularly assess whether policies are translating into tangible outcomes on the ground.
Modi also highlighted the increasing participation of women in administration, noting that more than 40 per cent of the current IAS batch comprises women officers.
Urging the trainees to measure success through outcomes rather than positions held, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that their energy, talent and dedication would help accelerate India’s development journey.
Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra, Principal Secretary-2 Shaktikanta Das, Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, Department of Personnel and Training Secretary Rachna Shah and other senior officials were present during the interaction.
