By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that officers should have a pragmatic approach and instead of trying to paint a rosy picture should make a realistic assessment of things.
Chouhan said that the system of providing public services within time limit under Public Services Delivery Guarantee Act would be online. Dwelling at length on the innovations made in Madhya Pradesh for good governance, he said that reconstruction of Madhya Pradesh is going on apace with the cooperation of all sections of society including officers and public representatives, he added.
The Chief Minister was addressing the IAS officers under their mid-career training programme at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Administrative Academy in Mussoorie on Wednesday. A total of 85 officers of 1980-1984 batch and Academy Director Mr. Padmaveer Singh were present on the occasion.
After the address the Chief Minister went round the academy premises. He was impressed by the well-equipped systems there and directed to make the same arrangements at the Bhopal’s Academy of Administration in Madhya Pradesh.
Later, the Chief Minister answered the queries of the officers on various issues including poll reforms, experiments made in Madhya Pradesh for transparency and coordination between judiciary and government.
The Chief Minister said development of Madhya Pradesh, public welfare and providing good governance is his life mission. He called upon the officers to keep a tab on the ground realities and shun glossing over the facts. An objective assessment of situations is the demand of democracy. He also advised the officers not to defer decisions to shy away from responsibility. It is not in the interest of the country and the people. It is also not proper to shield the subordinates committing wrong. The Chief Minister said that the officers should make frequent field visits.
Referring to the efforts for development of Madhya Pradesh Mr. Chouhan said that seven priorities have been fixed for this and all out efforts are being made to implement in right earnest. These are:- infrastructure development, making agriculture a lucrative proposition, enhancing investment, improving education and health facilities, women empowerment, security and law and order and good governance and resources management.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for inclusive development saying that development has hardly any meaning if its benefits fail to reach the last man in the last row. He said that to this end direct dialogues are held with all sections of society including public representatives. Roadmap of development was prepared on the basis of conclusions of Manthan camp attended by officers and ministers. With a view to ensuring full participation of public representatives a special Vidhan Sabha session was convened and the 70 suggestions made during it are being acted upon with all sincerity, he said.
The Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh has carved out a distinct identity in the country for its committed efforts for women empowerment. In this context he referred to 50 per cent reservation to women in PRIs and civic bodies, Ladali Laxmi Yojana, Gaon Ki Beti, Pratibha Kiran and recently launched Beti Bachao campaign. He said that schemes have been implemented for the poorest of the poor sections including construction and farm workers, Mandi hammals, hand cart pullers, women working as domestic help and others.
He also dwelt at length on the good governance initiatives like Samadhan Online, One Day Governance, Public Hearing, direct deposit of money in back accounts of beneficiaries etc.([email protected])