By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday asked Indian civil servants to set the “highest standards” of probity in their work and ostracise colleagues who indulge in corrupt practices.
Addressing officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Manmohan Singh said people value the work done by “honest and dedicated civil servants and look up to them”.
He cited the example of an Orissa collector who was abducted by Maoists in February.
“The spontaneous support of the people of Malkangiri, when the collector of the (Malkangiri) district was kidnapped by left-wing extremists, is a pointer to the extent of goodwill that well-meaning civil servants can achieve,” he said.
Urging officers to work for strengthening “the trust and faith which people still have in civil servants”, Manmohan Singh said: “I believe it is only up to the civil services as a whole to set the highest standards of probity and integrity in public and personal life and to create an atmosphere and a work ethic which encourages honesty and integrity.”
He said: “Disapproval and even ostracisation by peers and colleagues can be a powerful deterrent for those who tend to stray from the path of rectitude.”
He noted that the core of the civil services in India was sound and rooted in values of integrity and fair play.
“It is a pity that instances of individual waywardness, of lack of moral courage and of surrender to pressures and temptations tarnish the image of civil services and lead to immense criticism and dissatisfaction.”