Itanagar, May 30 (IANS) Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday called upon the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service officers to take ownership of the state and contribute to its holistic growth, both physical and financial.

Speaking at the 16th Triennial Conference of the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service Officers Association (APCSOA) here, Khandu said that state civil service officers are not just administrators but members of the communities they serve as almost all are indigenous to the state.

“This gives you an unmatched advantage in understanding the cultural intricacies, traditional institutions, and emotional landscapes of our people,” he pointed out.

Appreciating the theme of the conference, ‘Civil Service at the crossroads: Reimagining public service for a new era’, the Chief Minister asserted that the role of today’s civil service officers is not just administrative but transformational.

“You are the first point of contact for the public. You are the ones who interpret government schemes in a language the people understand. You are the ones who mediate between tradition and modernity. You are the ones who can prevent alienation and foster ownership among the people for every development initiative,” he observed.

Terming civil service officers as the backbone of the state’s governance system, Khandu stressed that their performance is not just their own but it reflects the effectiveness of the political leadership and credibility of the government itself.

He reminded the officers that being a part of the state civil service means they have a greater responsibility to act as role models for the youth.

“You are living proof that excellence and integrity can walk hand in hand. I urge you to use your position to mentor, inspire, and lead by example,” he urged.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment to empower and strengthen the state civil services, the Chief Minister assured that the government will continue to support with the resources, training, and autonomy needed to keep their morale high and capabilities enhanced.

Besides facilitating assured career progression for APCS officers, Khandu said the state government has also made sure that capacity-building training of the officers is held from time to time, a four-month training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie being one.

Crediting the civil service officers for the great strides made by the state in e-governance, Khandu informed that Arunachal Pradesh may be the only state in the country to have implemented 100 per cent e-Office in Civil Secretariat, all District Headquarters and Directorates.

“Our e-Vidhan, e-Cabinet and e-File platforms are success stories which are being talked about nationally,” he remarked.

Khandu appealed to the APCS officers to become proactive members of the Team-Arunachal by actively sending their feedback and suggestions to the government and assured that these will be considered in framing policies. “We the politicians will frame policies but it’s only you who will be implementing these on the ground. So you are in the best position to tell us the areas to concentrate,” he added.

Khandu advised the officers not to sit pondering over challenges at the ground but to immediately start looking for solutions. The inaugural function of the one-day conference was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Chief Secretary Manish Gupta and Shivdular Dhillon, Advisor to the All India State Civil/Administrative Service Association.

–IANS

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