New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the 'successes of the past 10-11 years have laid a strong foundation for a developed India'.

PM Modi made the remarks while addressing the Civil Servants on the occasion of 17th Civil Services Day at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday. He also conferred the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone on the occasion of Civil Services Day and highlighted the significance of this year's celebration, as it marks the 75th year of the Constitution and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Recounting Sardar Patel's iconic statement on April 21, 1947, where he referred to civil servants as the 'Steel Frame of India', Modi emphasized Patel's vision of a bureaucracy that upholds discipline, honesty, and democratic values, serving the nation with utmost dedication. He underscored the relevance of Sardar Patel's ideals in the context of India's resolve to become a Viksit Bharat and paid a heartfelt tribute to Sardar Patel's vision and legacy, according to an statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

Reflecting on his earlier statement from the Red Fort, emphasizing the need to strengthen the foundation of India for the next thousand years, Modi noted that 25 years have already passed in this millennium, marking the 25th year of the new century and the new millennium. 'The policies we are working on today, the decisions we are making, are going to shape the future of the next thousand years', he highlighted. Quoting ancient scriptures, he said just as a chariot cannot move with a single wheel, success cannot be achieved solely by relying on fate without effort. Underscoring the importance of collective effort and determination in achieving the goal of a developed India, he urged everyone to work tirelessly, every day and every moment, towards this shared vision, his office said.

Mentioning the rapid changes occurring globally, noting how even within families, interactions with younger generations can make one feel outdated due to the fast pace of change, the Prime Minister highlighted the swift evolution of gadgets every two to three years and how children are growing up amidst these transformations. He emphasized that India's bureaucracy, work processes, and policymaking cannot operate on outdated frameworks. He remarked on the significant transformation initiated in 2014, describing it as a grand endeavor to adapt to the fast-paced changes. He highlighted the aspirations of India's society, youth, farmers, and women, stating that their dreams have reached unprecedented heights and stressed the need for extraordinary speed to fulfill these extraordinary aspirations, as per the PMO.

The Prime Minister outlined India's ambitious goals for the coming years, including energy security, clean energy, advancements in sports, and achievements in space exploration, emphasizing the importance of raising India's flag high in every sector. Underscoring the immense responsibility on civil servants to ensure that India becomes the world's third-largest economy at the earliest, he urged them to prevent any delays in achieving this critical objective, his office said.

Expressing happiness over the theme of this year's Civil Services Day, 'Holistic Development of India', Modi emphasized that this is not just a theme but a commitment and a promise to the people of the nation. 'Holistic development of India means ensuring that no village, no family, and no citizen is left behind', he stressed, remarking that true progress is not about small changes but about achieving a full-scale impact.

He outlined the vision of holistic development, which includes clean water for every household, quality education for every child, financial access for every entrepreneur, and the benefits of the digital economy for every village. He highlighted that quality in governance is not determined by the mere launch of schemes but by how deeply these schemes reach the people and their real impact. The Prime Minister noted the visible impact in districts like Rajkot, Gomati, Tinsukia, Koraput, and Kupwara, where significant progress has been made, from increasing school attendance to adopting solar power. He congratulated the districts and individuals associated with these initiatives, acknowledging their excellent work and the awards received by several districts, as per PMO

Highlighting that over the past 10 years, India has progressed from incremental change to impactful transformation, the Prime Minister emphasized that the country's governance model is now focused on Next Generation Reforms, leveraging technology and innovative practices to bridge the gap between the government and citizens. He noted that the impact of these reforms is evident in rural, urban, and remote areas alike. He remarked on the success of Aspirational Districts and emphasized the equally remarkable achievements of Aspirational Blocks. He recalled that the program was launched in January 2023 and has shown unprecedented results in just two years, highlighting significant progress in indicators such as health, nutrition, social development, and basic infrastructure across these blocks.

Citing examples of transformational changes, he said that in the Peeplu Block of Tonk district, Rajasthan, measurement efficiency for children in Anganwadi centers increased from 20 per cent to over 99 per cent, while in the Jagdishpur Block of Bhagalpur, Bihar, registration of pregnant women during the first trimester surged from 25 per cent to over 90 per cent. He further added that in the Marwah Block of Jammu & Kashmir, institutional deliveries rose from 30 per cent to 100 per cent and in the Gurdih Block of Jharkhand, tap water connections grew from 18 per cent to 100 per cent. He emphasized that these are not just statistics but evidence of the government's resolve for last-mile delivery. 'With the right intent, planning, and execution, transformation is possible even in remote areas', he added.

Underlining India's achievements over the past decade, emphasizing transformative changes and the nation's attainment of new heights, Shri Modi remarked, 'India is now recognized not merely for its growth but for setting new benchmarks in governance, transparency, and innovation'. He identified India's G20 Presidency as a significant example of these advancements, noting that, for the first time in G20's history, over 200 meetings were held across more than 60 cities, creating a broad and inclusive footprint. He underscored how the approach of public participation transformed the G20 into a people's movement. 'The world has acknowledged India's leadership; India is not just participating, it is leading', he affirmed.

The Prime Minister highlighted the growing discussions around government efficiency, emphasizing that India is 10-11 years ahead of other nations in this regard. He remarked on the efforts made over the past 11 years to eliminate delays, introduce new processes, and reduce turnaround time through technology. He noted that over 40,000 compliances have been removed, and more than 3,400 legal provisions have been decriminalized to promote ease of business. He recalled the resistance faced during these reforms, with critics questioning the need for such changes. However, he emphasized that the government did not succumb to pressure, asserting that new approaches are essential for achieving new results. He further highlighted the improvement in India's Ease of Doing Business Rankings as a result of these efforts and noted the global enthusiasm for investing in India. The Prime Minister urged the need to capitalize on this opportunity by eliminating red tape at the state, district, and block levels to achieve set goals effectively.

'The successes of the past 10-11 years have laid a strong foundation for a developed India', said Modi, remarking that the nation is now beginning to construct the grand edifice of a developed India on this solid base but acknowledged the significant challenges ahead. He noted that India has become the most populous country in the world, emphasizing the prioritization of saturation in basic amenities. He urged a strong focus on last-mile delivery to ensure inclusivity in development. He highlighted the evolving needs and aspirations of the citizens, remarking that the Civil Service must adapt to contemporary challenges to remain relevant.

Modi stressed the need for setting new benchmarks, moving beyond comparisons with previous benchmarks. He urged measuring progress against the vision for a developed India by 2047, examining whether the current pace of achieving goals in every sector is adequate, and accelerating efforts wherever necessary. He underscored the advancements in technology available today and called for leveraging its power. Highlighting the accomplishments of the past decade, Shri Modi mentioned the construction of 4 crore houses for the poor, with a target of building 3 crore more, connecting over 12 crore rural households to tap water within 5-6 years, with the aim of ensuring every village household has a tap connection soon. He further mentioned the building of over 11 crore toilets for the underprivileged in the past 10 years, while targeting new goals in waste management and providing free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for millions of underprivileged individuals. Shri Modi emphasized the need for renewed commitments to improve nutrition for citizens and declared that the ultimate goal must be 100 per cent coverage and 100 per cent impact. He highlighted that this approach has lifted 25 crore people out of poverty in the past decade and expressed confidence that it will lead to a poverty-free India.

Reflecting on the past role of bureaucracy as a regulator that controlled the pace of industrialization and entrepreneurship, the Prime Minister emphasized that the nation has moved beyond this mindset and is now fostering an environment that promotes enterprise among citizens and helps them overcome barriers. 'Civil Services must transform into an enabler, expanding its role from merely being the keeper of rule books to becoming a facilitator of growth', he said. Citing the example of the MSME sector, he highlighted the importance of Mission Manufacturing and how the success of this mission is heavily reliant on MSMEs.

The Prime Minister pointed out that amidst global changes, MSMEs, startups, and young entrepreneurs in India have an unprecedented opportunity. He stressed the necessity of becoming more competitive in the global supply chain and noted that MSMEs face competition not just from smaller entrepreneurs but also globally. He remarked that if a small country provides better ease of compliances to its industries, it could outpace Indian startups. Thus, he emphasized the need for India to continuously evaluate its position in global best practices. The Prime Minister asserted that while the goal of Indian industries is to create globally best products, the goal of India's bureaucracy must be to provide the world's best ease of compliance environment.

Emphasising the need for civil servants to acquire skills that not only help them understand technology but also enable its use for smart and inclusive governance, Modi remarked, 'In the age of technology, governance is not about managing systems; it is about multiplying possibilities.' He stressed the importance of becoming tech-savvy to make policies and schemes more efficient and accessible through technology. He highlighted the need for expertise in data-driven decision-making to ensure accurate policy design and implementation. Observing the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Physics, predicting a forthcoming revolution in technology that will surpass the digital and information age, Shri Modi urged civil servants to prepare for this technological revolution to deliver the best services and fulfill citizens' aspirations. Underscoring the importance of enhancing the capabilities of civil servants to build a future-ready civil service, he highlighted the significance of Mission Karmayogi and the Civil Service Capacity Building Program in achieving this goal.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to closely monitor global challenges in rapidly changing times, highlighting that food, water, and energy security remain major issues, particularly for the Global South, where ongoing conflicts are exacerbating difficulties, impacting daily lives and livelihoods. He further stressed the importance of understanding the growing interconnection between domestic and external factors. He identified climate change, natural disasters, pandemics, and cybercrime threats as critical areas requiring proactive action, urging India to stay ten steps ahead in addressing these challenges. He underlined the need to develop localized strategies and build resilience to effectively tackle these emerging global issues.

Reiterating the concept of 'Panch Pran' introduced from the Red Fort, emphasizing the resolve for a developed India, liberation from the mindset of servitude, pride in heritage, the power of unity, and the honest fulfillment of duties, Shri Modi remarked that civil servants are the key carriers of these principles. He stated, 'Every time you prioritize integrity over convenience, innovation over inertia, or service over status, you propel the nation forward.' He expressed his complete trust in the civil servants. Addressing young officers embarking on their professional journeys, he highlighted the societal contributions to individual success. He remarked that everyone seeks to give back to society in their own capacity. He emphasized the privilege civil servants have in being able to contribute significantly to society, urging them to make the most of this opportunity provided by the nation and its people.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to reimagine reforms for civil servants, calling for an accelerated pace and expanded scale of reforms across sectors. He highlighted key areas such as infrastructure, renewable energy goals, internal security, terminating corruption, social welfare schemes, and targets related to sports and the Olympics, urging the implementation of new reforms in every domain. He remarked that the achievements so far must be surpassed manifold, setting higher benchmarks for progress. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of human judgment in a technology-driven world, urging civil servants to remain sensitive, listen to the voices of the underprivileged, understand their struggles, and prioritize resolving their issues. Concluding his address, he invoked the principle of 'Nagrik Devo Bhava,' likening it to the ethos of 'Atithi Devo Bhava,' and called on civil servants to see themselves not just as administrators but as architects of a developed India, fulfilling their responsibilities with dedication and compassion.

Union Minister of State for Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh, Principal Secretary - 2 to Prime Minister, Shaktikanta Das, Cabinet Secretary, T V Somanathan and Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, V Srinivas were present on the occasion. (ANI)