‘Anonymity, ability, austerity should define civil servants’: President Murmu

New Delhi, December 9

President Droupadi Murmu while addressing trainee officers of the Indian Administrative Service termed ‘anonymity’, ‘ability’ and ‘austerity’ as ornaments of a civil servant. 

She advised trainee officers to be sensitive towards the underprivileged section of society.

She was addressing the valedictory function of the 97th Common Foundation Course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, on Friday.

“Good governance is the need of the hour. Lack of good governance is the root of many of our social and economic problems. To understand the problems of the people, it is necessary to connect with the common man,” the President said.

“Be humble to connect with people. Only then you would be able to have conversations with them, understand their needs and work for their betterment,” Murmu advised the trainees.

The trainee officers would come across many challenges and difficulties while working for the people of the country. In those circumstances, they have to act with full confidence, she suggested.

“Leading India on the path of progress and development and paving the way for upliftment of the people of the country, is your constitutional duty as well as moral responsibility,” the President added.

Speaking about global warming and climate change, the President said the whole world is struggling with these issues. There is an urgent need to take effective steps to solve these problems. She appealed to officers to fully implement steps taken by the Centre for environment protection to save our future.

Addressing the trainees, the President went on to quote Independent India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who, while meeting a batch of IAS trainees in 1947, remarked, “We must expect and we have a right to expect the best out of every civil servant in whatever position of responsibility he or she may be”.

The civil servants have lived up to these expectations, Murmu added.