Public is not just beneficiary of govt policies, programs, but is real driving force: PM Modi

The public is not just the beneficiary of government policies, programs, but is the real driving force, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said as he was interacting with probationers of Civil Services.

"The public is not just the beneficiary of government policies, programs, but is the real driving force. That is why we need to move from government to governance," Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave precious advice to the probationers of Civil Services.

"Your batch is avery important, when your batch will go on the field it will be the time when India will be in its 75th year of Independence. Friends, you are the officers who will be in service when the country will be celebrating its 100th year of independence. These 25 years are very important for India, and your generation is the one which will be a part of the most important administrative setup," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister remembered late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and reiterated the message he had given to the first batch of officers in April 1947.

In a way, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the father of the country's Civil Services. On April 21, 1947, addressing the first batch of administrative officers, Sardar Patel called civil servants the 'steel frame of the country'. He advised the officers that serving the people is their paramount duty. I also have the same request that civil servants should take all decisions for the country's interests," the PM said.

"It should be for strengthening the unity of the country, for protecting the spirit of the Constitution. It might be that your region might be small, the department which you are running its boundaries might be less but the decisions should always have the country's and the people's interests. It should have a national perspective, the work of a steel frame is not just providing a base and carrying on with the pre-existing setup, the work of a steel frame is making the country feel that no matter how big the struggle or change is you will be a power to build the country in the way forward," he added.

He further implored the probationers to ponder over the roles they will have to play for improving the country.

"You will have to continuously think about the needs for making a new, best, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and how it will be fulfilled through you," he said.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Sardar Patel at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat.

He then witnessed the 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' parade on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Kevadia, Gujarat.

Parade in its tableau included National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) vehicles--Medical First Respondent (MFR), Flood Water Rescue (FWR) vehicle, Border Security Force's (BSF) Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) and Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) Critical Response Vehicle.

CRPF Women Warriors' also performed a rifle drill while the Department of Sports Youth and Cultural Affairs, Gujarat State performed a cultural dance.

The Prime Minister also administered the Rashtriya Ekta Pledge here.

PM Modi is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown in March, to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrating the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

Sardar Patel, who is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of the pre-independent country to build the Republic of India, passed away on December 15, 1950.

(ANI)

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