Modi government will give tremendous opportunity to young officers: Jitendra Singh

NEW DELHI: Government will provide young bureaucrats "tremendous opportunity" and a larger role to play in order to achieve it's flagship goal of 'maximum governance, minimum government' for the citizens, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh today said.

Singh, also the MoS for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), made these comments while felicitating the civil services toppers whose final results were declared last week.

Calling the present times the "most happening" and the best for any youngster to join civil services, Singh said the government has placed before itself the goal of "maximum governance, minimum government" and in order to effectively achieve this goal, the new lot of bureaucrats will have tremendous opportunity and a larger role to play which will hold the promise of earning them credit not only from the ruling establishment but also from the society.

He said the rising level of expectations and high accountability also offers an opportunity to prove oneself worthy of the responsibility given.

Singh assured the government is "committed to help the young incoming bureaucrats to give their best."

The Minister felicitated and handed over certificates to the toppers of the 2014 exam led by Ira Singhal who stood out as the number one. The first 20 toppers were honoured during the event today.

Singh lauded the grit and talent of these youngsters saying the occasion assumes special significance because it has thrown up a galaxy of brilliant young brains, notably young girls, who have made it to the top by the "sheer dint of their individual effort and hard work regardless of extraneous considerations or prejudices."

Referring to Ira Singhal, who suffers from a spine-related disorder, Singh said her mental faculties, intelligence quotient level and academic brilliance are higher than most of us and the skeletal difference in her physique is something which has nothing to do with her calibre or intellect.

"It is just like someone having six fingers instead of five fingers on a hand and still making it to the top or somebody having a short stature or a tall height and still making a mark," he said.

Among the others candidates who were honoured today include Nidhi Gupta, Vandana Rao, Charu Sree T, Lok Bandhu, Nitish K, Arvind Singh, Nishant Jain, Abhijeet Kaplish, Ananya Das, Aditya Uppal and Aman Mittal.

DoPT Secretary Sanjay Kothari and Union Home Secretary L C Goyal were also present during the event along with other officials of the department.