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NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space; and Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh on thursday convened a high-level joint meeting of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) with Secretaries of different other Ministries.
The meeting aimed to iron out, face to face, on the spot, long-standing administrative and personnel-related issues confronting various Ministries and departments. The Minister’s emphasis was on “ease of procedure”.
Simplification of administrative rules is crucial for India’s innovation driven economic growth through ease of R&D, said Dr Jitendra Singh.
Emphasizing the simplification of procedures, Dr. Jitendra Singh observed that many of the issues plaguing scientific institutions are rooted in inconsistencies in recruitment rules, service conditions, retirement ages etc – which often vary in comparison to other civil servants and line ministries. This ambiguity, he noted, leads to administrative conflicts, particularly since members of the scientific fraternity are engaged through a variety of modes such as national and international institutes, lateral entry, and deputation frameworks.
Dr. Jitendra Singh underlined the need for more uniformity in administrative mechanisms across all Science and Technology departments. He stated, “These administrative roadblocks must be addressed if we are to promote ease of doing research and innovation in India. Science and Technology, coupled with research and innovation, are going to be the harbingers of India’s economic growth, he said.
Recognizing his dual role as the Science and Technology Minister and the Minister of DoPT, Dr. Singh said he was fully aware of the administrative issues being faced by scientific departments. He took the initiative to bring all concerned ministries onto the same page to resolve systemic bottlenecks and lay the groundwork for future policy reforms.
“This is a very important meeting,” Dr. Jitendra Singh remarked, “because it sets the tone for inter-ministerial collaboration, the whole of the Govt approach to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. We must shift away from the orthodox route, which takes a long time to channel solutions, and instead use such breakthrough meetings to resolve issues in real time.”
Highlighting the government’s broader efforts toward administrative efficiency, Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to DoPT’s recent drive to weed out more than 1,600 obsolete laws and simplify procedures for the benefit of citizens and the scientific community alike. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing the visionary framework through the Viksit Bharat @ 2047 initiative, which recognizes that administrative reform is a critical component of national development.
The Minister emphasized, “Administrative procedures should be as simple as possible. We need to move from rule to role, from rigidity to responsiveness, from delay to delivery.”
The high-level meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India; Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General and Secretary, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Ms. Rachna Shah, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT); Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology; Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; and Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences. Other senior officers from the respective departments also participated actively in the deliberations.
Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded the meeting with a strong message,”India’s future lies on ease of science and ease of innovation, but its foundation must be built on administrative clarity, simplicity, and synergy. Today’s meeting is a significant step in that direction.”
