Minister Dr Jitendra Singh to IAS Officers: Use Technology to Help Citizens
Addressing the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of 2020 batch, an Indian minister Dr Jitendra Singh asked them to use technology in order to make the Government citizen centric. These IAS officers are undergoing a 3-month stint as Assistant Secretaries in the Central government before going to their respective State cadres.
In his interaction on July 17, the minister observed that today’s citizen aspires to have a voice in the processes of policy formulation and policy implementation. He added that the expectations of citizens from the administration and governance are on the rise.
Therefore, the minister said, information technology, internet, mobile technology, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, etc. can bring dramatic changes in the lives of the people and they can help the administration establish a direct contact with the citizens.
He further said that the required improvement in citizen services and speedy resolution of grievances related to them can be brought about by utilising technology in an effective manner.
Dr Jitendra Singh exhorted the young bureaucrats to remain grounded and added that their attitude to the common citizen who comes to the doorstep of the Government is going to be one of the most important factors in shaping citizen’s satisfaction from Government Services.
Once the attitude is supportive and full of empathy, the attitude of those who are working with civil servants is bound to change and therefore they should strive for being the role model in this Attitude Changing Mission, the minister added.
He also advised the officers to adopt a very respectful attitude towards public representatives and listen to them patiently and promptly examine their suggestions in the light of policy framework.
He said, wherever feasible or desirable, we may have to seek approvals from the higher-ups to serve the cause of citizens. The minister also said that the public representatives such as MLAs or MPs, Ward Councillors, or Members of Panchayat Societies are elected by people and they can provide the officers the insights into what citizens require and how the Government can provide effective doorstep services to citizens.
The minister emphasised that young officers in charge of Districts or Tehsils or any Department must ensure that no citizen who needs your intervention or support is turned away from your office empty-handed.
