‘Inject a system of accountability’

COVER STORY

governance reforms

 

‘Inject a system of accountability’

There is a strong impetus for the civil services to adapt to the times and adopt newer practices to manage human resources, feels the cabinet secretary

 

by Anil Tyagi / Himanshu Joshi

 

Governancereforms is a ticklish issue and matter of much debate in today’s fast-changing world. In this light, the coming together of three cabinet secretaries – two former secretaries, Mr B K Chaturvedi and Mr Prabhat Kumar alongwith Mr A K Seth, the present cabinet secretary – on one platform and expressing their views holds much importance. This view from inside came at the series of talks on ‘Governance Reforms’, organised by IC Centre for Governance, the Asian Institute for Transport Development and India International Centre.

 

The high-powered speakers spoke their mind with refreshing candour, honest introspection and clarity of thought. Not only it came out clearly that the higher echelons of bureaucracy are well aware of the need for change but also that they are conversant with the common perception about the civil services among the people of the country.

 

Mr AK Seth put this quite succinctly by saying that “critics sometimes very simplistically caricaturise the civil service as closed and change resistance.” But, he added, that this should not deflect attention from the fact that civil services brings together....READMORE