Providing ease of life to citizens is core to Citizen Centric Governance: Arun Jaitley

Providing ease of life to citizens is core to Citizen Centric Governance: Arun Jaitley 

National Workshop on ‘Citizen Centric Governance’ concludes 


The Union Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information and Broadcasting, Shri Arun Jaitley attended as Chief Guest to the Valedictory session of a National Workshop on Citizen Centric Governance, here today. The workshop was organized by the National Centre for Good Governance, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), in association with the Institute for Development and Communication, Chandigarh and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, New Delhi. 

While addressing, Shri Jaitley stated that providing ease of life to the citizens is core to citizen-centric governance; and Governance must be intended to generate a surplus in the society. He called for abolishment of government monopolies. He suggested that every department must take up a simplification exercise – especially the departments having a greater public interface like the Police Department. He called for developing a civilized relationship between the police and the citizens. He further recommended that the taxation systems should be made globally compatible, and the time between the decision of investment and the action of investment should be reduced to promote industries. 

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh attended as the Guest of Honor. He built upon the idea of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government for achieving a truly citizen-centric governance. He also shared that the existing trust deficit between the citizens and the government has to be overcome to inculcate a mind-set compatible with simplification of procedures and engaged governance. 

Earlier in the morning, the Secretary, (DoPT), Shri Sanjay Kothari inaugurated the workshop. In his address, Shri Kothari highlighted that the target of Governance Reforms should be to make governance processes easier for every common citizen even in the remotest part of the country. 

Prof. Dipankar Gupta, Professor, Shiv Nadar University, Dr. Promod Kumar, Chairperson, Punjab Governance Reforms Commission and Director, Insititute for Development and Communication, Sh Shri Prakash, Joint Secretary (Admin), DoPT, Shri Sarvesh Kaushal, Chief Secretary, Punjab, Shri Bhaskar Khulbe, Additional Secretary, PMO, GoI, Shri Swadheen S. Kshatriya, Chief Secretary Maharashtra Sh. R. N. Gupta, former Chief Secretary, Punjab, Shri S. K. Sharma, DGP, Community Policing, Punjab, Ms. Alaknanda Dayal, Director, Department of Welfare of SC and BC, Government of Punjab, Shri Amitabh Kant, Secretary, DIPP, Dr. Anup K. Pujari, Secretary, MSME, GoI, Shri D. P. Ahuja, MD,MP Trade and Investment Facilitation Corp. Ltd, Shri Umang Chaturvedi, Group President Corporate Affairs, Fortis; Shri Ravinder, Director DIPP also participated in the workshop as Panellists, moderators and Presenters. 

The deliberations revolved around simplification of performas, processes and procedures for citizens and investment promotion. 


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Dr Jitendra Singh says social media facilitates public participation in governance 

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the rise of social media is a part of a global phenomenon and it is there to stay regardless of all other factors. In his inaugural address as chief guest at the two-day National Conclave on “Social Media for Good Governance” here today, Dr Jitendra Singh said the question therefore, is not how the social media and governance can impact each other because the two have the capacity to survive even as independent entities without depending on each other. The actual issue is how best and optimally to use the social media so that it can supplement good governance with a citizen-centric goal, he said. 

Dr. Jitendra Singh credited Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for having brought the process of e-governance into focus and thus offering a cue for public discourse on the link between social media and governance. Both the governance as well as the social media existed even before, but the futuristic prioritization of the present government during the last 15 months has not only facilitated wider public participation in governance through social media but has also instilled in common man the confidence of being an important stakeholder in governance under the Modi government. In this context, he cited the example of “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, wherein on the advice of PM Modi, the government had invited suggestions for a suitable logo for the campaign as a result of which a young boy felt inspired to suggest a logo, which has now become famous, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s spectacles with words “Swachh” and “Bharat” written on each of the two eye-glasses. 

Striking an original note, Dr. Jitendra Singh observed, sometimes he feels that the expression “social media” is a misnomer because the media of the earlier times, even though confined to a few print newspapers, also had a social relevance and was meant for society. But, he added, the present instant options like Twitter and Facebook have not only enhanced social interaction but promoted socializing and hence possibly these options through Net have earned the popular nomenclature of “social media”. Whatever it be, these options have made the media more interactive, as a result of which, a common man living in a remote village also enjoys the privilege to register his opinion or input and, herein precisely, lies the strength of social media of today, he added. 

Dr. Jitendra Singh said that in a democratic Parliamentary system like ours, what matters the most is the nature and composition of the political leadership at any given time because it is from the helm of affairs that every other organ of good governance receives its cue for the direction in which to move. Fortunately, he said, the present dispensation under Prime Minister Modi, not only allows absolute freedom to experiment and innovate but is also ready to encourage even revolutionary reforms, which is what provides an opportunity for new tools and new mediums including the social media to participate in the process of governance. As an example, he cited a number of pending cases of pension and service matters which had been resolved online by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) and Department of Administrative Reforms, Pension and Grievances (ARPG). 

President NASSCOM and Former Chairman Telecom Commission Shri R. Chandrashekhar and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Communications & IT Smt. Aruna Sundararajan also spoke in the inaugural session. 


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National Centre for Good Governance, DoPT organizes National Workshop on ‘Citizen-Centric Governance’ 

The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) is organizing a one-day National Workshop on ‘Citizen-Centric Governance’ in association with the Institute for Development and Communication, Chandigarh and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, New Delhi, here today. The inaugural session was attended by the Secretary, DoPT, Shri Sanjay Kothari, Prof. Dipankar Gupta, Dr. Pramod Kumar, Senior officials of DoPT and NCGG, IAS officers of 2013 batch. 

While addressing, Shri Sanjay Kothari said that the target of Governance Reforms should be to make governance processes easier for every common citizen even in the remotest part of the country. He urged the administrators and policy-makers to do away with the colonial attitude for governance, and called for reforms in redundant rules and processes from the colonial era. 

Shri Kothari said that as a continuation to the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi's announcement, the government is working to do away with Interviews for the lower level jobs and appoint employees on merit basis. This will make the employee feel pride and more efficient personnel will be recruited to the government, he added. 

Shri Kothari also mentioned that getting SC/ST certificates and Domicile certificates is an up-hill task today and administrative changes should be made to simplify this process. Likewise, getting Police verification is also a complicated task and this should also be simplified in governance. 

While referring 2013 IAS Officers, he said that it is their responsibility to bring changes in governance, and make efforts to transform India as 2nd largest economy in the world. He advised the young IAS officers to change their mindset from 'how not to work' to 'how to work'. He also advised all to make blood donation, which is extremely needed everywhere. 

Prof. Dipankar Gupta, Professor, Shiv Nadar University introduced the theme of the workshop, and highlighted the importance of simplification and service delivery for a truly citizen-centric governance. Dr. Promod Kumar, Chairperson, Punjab Governance Reforms Commission and Director, Insititute for Development and Communication delivered the Key-Note Address and highlighted the need to overcome the deficits of trust, dignity, productivity and citizen engagement in the existing governance system.