New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with 181 Officer Trainees of the IAS 2022 Batch, who have been attached as Assistant Secretaries in various Ministries and Departments, at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi on July 11, 2024.

During the interaction, various officers shared their experiences of the training they had undergone. The Prime Minister recalled his earlier interaction with them during the Aarambh programme in 2022. Speaking about the Assistant Secretary programme, he said that the intent behind it was to provide the opportunity of experiential learning to the young officers from the top to the bottom of the administrative pyramid.

The Prime Minister said that New India is not satisfied with a lackadaisical approach and demands proactiveness. They should endeavour to provide the best possible governance, quality of manufacturing, and quality of life to all citizens. Talking about schemes like Lakhpati Didi, Drone Didi, and PM Awas Yojana, he said all of them should work with a saturation approach to take these schemes further to the people. He said that the saturation approach ensures social justice and prevents discrimination. He added that it is now their choice whether they will be speed breakers or superfast highways in service delivery. He urged them to aspire to be catalytic agents, feeling satisfaction when they see change happening in front of their eyes.

The Prime Minister emphasised that Nation First is not just a slogan but his life’s aim and exhorted the officers to walk with him on this journey. He also said that the accolades they had received after their selection as IAS officers are things of the past, and instead of staying in the past, they should move ahead towards the future.

Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Personnel), P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, and A.K. Bhalla, Secretary (Home and DoPT), and other senior officers were also present during the interaction. /BI