Jitendra Singh urges states to "match the pace of development"

JAIPUR: Union minister Jitendra Singh today urged the states which have been slow in implementing reforms and guidelines, to "match the pace of development of the country".

Without naming the states, the Minister of State for Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances ( DARPG) appealed for adopting a healthy government machinery.

Singh was in the city today as chief guest to address secretaries of 18 states on valedictory session of two-day regional conference on Innovations in Citizen Centric Services Delivery.

The conference is a platform where states can learn good governance practises and implement them.

Singh said that IAS officers should be given posting as per their calibre for maximum utilisation of human resources.

The administrative reforms are necessary for good governance. Union government has abolished interviews for selection on junior posts, eased the pension application process and launched grievance portal, he said.

The motive is maximum governance and minimum government, Singh said while stressing that all states should strive to launch citizen centric and youth centric services.

"I appeal to those states that have been slow in following the reforms and guidelines of the department to match the pace", said Singh.

He lauded the Rajasthan government's Bhamashah Scheme for job creation, effective governance and social justice.

Such innovations bring about more effective governance, he said.

Speaking on the issue of demonetisation, he said this is one of the reforms which might have caused inconvenience in short run but is good for future generations.

"Whether it is good or bad for the country, it is in hands of the 1.25 billion people", he said.

Earlier, Union secretary of DARPG, C Vishwanath said that there is a need to bring about disruptive innovations in the government sector to ensure more impact of services delivery to the people.

He said, "Innovations come from challenges and challenges throw opportunities and due to these opportunities there is a lot of scope for innovation in the government sector.

Various state governments have done tremendous work in various sectors to provide more and more benefits to the people.

On the occasion, State chief secretary, OP Meena talked about the schemes of state government, claiming that the state has done pioneering work in various sectors of service delivery to the people.