The MoS (PP) Dr Jitendra Singh addressed the Valedictory Session of the Special Training Program for the Civil Servants of Maldives and Bangladesh here today. The event was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and senior officials from the High Commission of Bangladesh to India and the Embassy of Maldives to India.The 2-week long Special Training program was conducted by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) at Mussoorie and Delhi in pursuance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India-Bangladesh and India-Maldives which were signed for training 1800 civil servants of Bangladesh and 1000 civil servants of Maldives over a period of 5 years. In all 33 officials from Maldives and 31 officials from Bangladesh participated in the Training Program. In his valedictory address, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that this training program is an extension of multi-faceted relations that exist between India and both countries. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always emphasised on the ‘Neighbourhood First” policy. He expressed happiness over the fact that India today has achieved a level in civil services training which is being emulated by other countries. He said that many students are visiting India from neighbouring countries for studies. Dr Singh said that India has focussed on ‘maximum governance and minimum government’. India has done away with interview at lower level posts and attestation of documents, which shows its confidence and trust in its citizens. He said that ease of governance is nothing, but ease of living.The Minister said that about 1500 obsolete laws have been done away in the last 5 years period, as they were adding more ‘unease’ than ‘ease’ to governance. He also said that the technology has been put to optimum use during these years. The Grievance Portal has become very active and responsive, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that best practices in India can be adopted by the trainee civil servants. He also asked them for their inputs and suggestions and said that there is much that needs to be learnt from each other. He said that the governance can be improved by mutual consultations.The Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to India Ms Aishath Mohamed Didi said that it was a pleasure and privilege to speak on the occasion. She said that there is so much that the Maldivian Civil servants could learn from the training program. She added that e-governance was a way forward which needs to be learnt. She added that Maldives will continue this cooperation.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Aly Shameen, Chairman of the Civil Services Commission of Maldives said that India is the largest democracy and a technologically advancing country. He added that the training has helped in transfer of knowledge and technological know-how. He also mentioned about the Smart City project, Aadhar card and National Disaster Management guidelines of India. He congratulated the trainees and thanked the NCGC faculty for conducting the training program.The Joint Secretary, MEA, Ms Devyani Khobragade said that this training program was a part of ITEC program of Ministry of External Affairs. She said that it has helped in sharing experiences and knowledge and India's unique experiences being a diversified country. She said that India sees them as equal partners in the development story and this is a beginning of a new relationship.Shri K. V. Eapen said that ITEC is an extremely useful program for India where we can include civil servants from neighboring countries. He said India has already trained 1500 civil servants from Bangladesh and will train 1800 more in near future. He added that India prepares training program based on the relevance for that country, and provides training in the areas which can be implemented in their respective countries. He said that world over demand of citizens is for better governance. He added this is a two- way program, where we all can learn from each other.
Earlier delivering his welcome address, Shri V.Srinivas Additional Secretary DARPG said that in many ways India’s governance has transformed beyond recognition since the widespread adoption of Digital India programs. He said that Governance can be Transformed: through purposeful digitalization, enabling infrastructure and responsive institutions. He also mentioned about the historic Shillong Declaration adopted in the National Conference on e-Governance which lays down the roadmap for e-Governance of India. He said that CPGRAMS Reforms – India’s digital portal for public grievances redressal adopted a bottom up approach which is expected to bring massive improvements in the quality and reduction in timelines of grievance redressal. The triology of digital continuum of administrative reforms is complete today with the successful conclusion of the special training program for civil servants of Maldives and Bangladesh representing the best success story of South-South cooperation, he added.The program was conducted under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation program (ITEC) from September 16-28, 2019 at Mussoorie and Delhi. The inaugural session of the Special Training Program for Maldivian Civil Servants was held on September 16, 2019 and was chaired by Shri K. V. Eapen, Secretary DARPG, Ms. Fatimath Amira, Member Civil Services Commission and Shri V. Srinivas, Additional Secretary DARPG. This was followed by sessions on Public Policy and Governance, Ethics and Accountability and Redressal of Public Grievances, Motivation, Innovation, Sustainable Development Goals, Promoting Tourism, Regional Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region, India – Maldives Relations along with visits to Unique Identification Authority, Passport Sewa Kendra and Election Commission of India.The Prime Minister of India in his visit to Maldives in June 2019, had emphasised India's ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and assured India's full support to Maldives in realising its aspirations for broad based socio-economic development and strengthening of democratic and independent institutions. One of the MoUs signed during the visit was between the National Center for Good Governance, India and the Civil Services Commission of Maldives which envisaged capacity building activities for 1000 Civil Servants of Maldives at the National Centre for Good Governance over the next 5 years.Under the MoU, 10 training programmes will be conducted from September 2019 to December 2020. The first 3 training programs under the MoU would be held in 2019 (a) September 16-28, 2019 and November 18-30, 2019 for 60 officers of the middle management level (b) December 2-14, 2019 for 30 officers of top management level.