Take decisions fast, don't fear consequences: PM Modi tells bureaucrats

Urging the country's top officials to "think out of the box" and take collective ownership to bring change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told them to become "enablers" rather than "regulators". Deviating from the prepared text while addressing bureaucrats on Civil Services Day here on Friday, Modi regaled them with nuggets of governance, and allayed their apprehensions about getting booked in corruption cases.

His assertion assumes significance as some bureaucrats have referred to the three Cs -- the CAG, CBI and the CVC -- as stumbling blocks in decision-making. He asked civil servants to weigh their decisions from an outcome point of view and not from an output point of view.

A legislation proposed way back in 2013 to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act to protect "honest" officials to differentiate between a corrupt decision and a genuine error is pending before Parliament. Over the years, this 'fear factor' have led bureaucrats to defer decisions, either referring them to their respective ministers or to the PMO.

"If a decision is taken with honest intention, truthfulness and for the welfare of public, nobody can raise a finger at you. Something momentary may happen but I am with you," the Prime Minister said.

"Aankado se badlav aata hai kya (Do we get change through numbers)? We need to weigh decisions from an outcome point of view. Output is okay for the CAG. If we see the output with the CAG, there won't be any change. But if we see things from 'CAG+1', there would be changes," the Prime Minister said, referring to the outcome- and output- based decision-making.

He said that people clap when army saves lives during flood in Kashmir. "The same people may pelt stones at them later. But for a moment, this deed (of army saving lives) touch them," he said. Bureaucrats need to work together as a team, but it is a matter of concern when two departments of the same government give divergent views in courts over the same matter, he said.

He also asked civil servants to use social media, e-governance and mobile governance for the welfare of the people rather than for their own publicity.

While sharing nuggets of governance, he stressed on the merits of anonymity. Being faceless is a "big strength", advised the PM. "Many officers would have had vision, implemented something and the entire country would have benefited from the idea. But if you go looking for who came up with the idea, you will not be able to find them. This is the best quality of the Indian Civil Service," he said.

Of late, he complained, this has changed. "If I post my picture administering two polio drops on Facebook, a question arises about the anonymity of officials," he commented, implying that while publicity of a scheme was welcome, individual publicity was not.

He explained his decision to ban mobile phones during meetings, including cabinet meetings. He lamented that officials are busy with mobile phones rather that spending quality time during meetings. "These days... I see district officials so busy, busy, busy (with their mobiles)...so I banned mobiles during meetings," he said. "People have moved from e-governance to mobile governance, it is a reality today."

Turning to Nripendra Misra, Principal Secretary in the PMO, who was sitting on the dais, Modi said he did not get the chance "to attend coaching", referring to tuition classes that help students qualify for the civil services. He then asked Misra: "After 16 years of public service, where would I have been? So I should have come in the director, deputy secretary category." Misra nodded in agreement.

Modi added that there had been several committees and commissions on administrative reforms. "But those who prepared these reports must not have read them completely," he said. "I feel that those working in this system have enormous experience. No reform can be bigger than the kind of suggestions you have. But we don't value this (experience)," the Prime Minister said.