New schemes and projects to be initiated for development

The Government has decided to take up a number of schemes and projects for the development and welfare of people. Major new schemes / projects announced in the Union Budget 2014-15 include: ·   Development of one hundred “Smart Cities”, an allocation of Rs. 7,060 crore provided in 2014-15. ·  “Skill India” programme with  emphasis on employability, entrepreneur skills, training and support for professions like welders, carpenters, cobblers, masons, blacksmiths, weavers, etc. ·  “Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana”, a sum of Rs. 1,000 crore has been allocated for this purpose in 2014-15. ·  . “Swatchh Bharat Abhiyan”. Subsequently, it was launched on October 2, 2014. ·  “Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission” to deliver integrated project based infrastructure in the rural areas, including development of economic activities and skill development. An allocation of Rs. 90 crore has been made in 2014-15. ·  “Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana” for electricity feeder separation and strengthening sub-transmission and distribution systems in rural areas. A sum of Rs. 500 crore has been allocated for the scheme in 2014-15. ·  Revival of “Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana” from 15 August 2014 to 14 August 2015 for the benefit of senior citizens. ·  Scheme on “Safety for Women on Public Road Transport”. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has been allocated Rs. 50 crore for pilot testing the scheme. ·  Scheme on “Safety of women in large cities”.  The Ministry of Home Affairs has been allocated Rs. 150 crore in 2014-15 for this purpose. Setting up “Crisis Management Centres” in all the districts of NCT of Delhi during 2014-15 at all government and private hospitals with funding from the Nirbhaya Fund. ·  “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana” a focused scheme for generating awareness and improving the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for women. An allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been made for this scheme. ·  Programme “Neeranchal” to provide impetus to watershed development. An allocation of Rs. 2,142 crore made in 2014-15. ·  “Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya New Teachers Training Programme” with an initial allocation of Rs. 500 crore in 2014-15. ·  “Digital India” programme for ensuring Broad band connectivity at village level, improved access to services through IT enabled platforms, greater transparency in Government processes and increased indigenous production of IT hardware and software for exports and improved domestic availability. Special focus under the programme would be on supporting software product start-ups. A provision of Rs. 500 crore has been made in 2014-15 for digital India programme. ·   “National Rural Internet and Technology Mission” for services in villages and schools, training in IT skills and E-Kranti for government service delivery. An allocation of Rs. 500 crore has been made in 2014-15 for this purpose. ·  “Good Governance” programmes with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  Plan scheme to support 600 new and existing Community Radio Stations with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  Initiating development of metro rail projects in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.             An initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore made in 2014-15. ·  Allocation of Rs. 4,000 crore made in 2014-15 for National Housing Bank to increase flow of cheaper credit for affordable housing to the urban poor/ Economically Weaker Sections/Low Income Group segment.  ·  “Up gradation of Traditional Skills in Arts, Resources and Goods” programme for development of minorities to preserve the traditional arts and crafts. ·  “Blue Revolution” for increasing fish production with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15. ·  Creation of “Price Stabilisation Fund” with a corpus of Rs. 500 crore to mitigate uncertainties and hardships arising out of price volatility in agriculture produce. ·  Setting up of “Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund” with a corpus of Rs. 100 crore. ·  Development of “Indigenous Cattle Breed” with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15. ·  New Agriculture Universities in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and Horticulture Universities in Haryana and Telangana with an initial allocation of Rs. 200 crore in 2014-15. ·  “National Adaptation Fund” for climate change with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  Setting up “Indian Agriculture Research Institute” (IARI) like institutes in Assam and Jharkhand with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  “Soil Health Card” scheme to check deteriorating soil health and setting up 100 “Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories” with allocations of Rs. 100 crore and Rs. 56 crore respectively in 2014-15. ·  Setting up “Long Term Rural Credit Fund” in National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for providing refinance support to Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks with an initial corpus of                  Rs. 5,000 crore. ·  Launching of “Kisan TV”, to disseminate real time information to the farmers regarding new farming techniques, water conservation, organic farming etc., with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  Setting up “National Industrial Corridor Authority” at Pune to coordinate the development of the industrial corridors, with smart cities linked to transport connectivity, drive India’s growth in manufacturing and urbanization with an initial allocation Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  Setting up a Rs. 10,000 crore “Venture Capital” fund to create a conducive eco-system in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector for attracting private capital by way of providing equity, quasi equity, soft loans and other risk capital for start-up companies. ·  Establishing “Technology Centre Network” fund to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and agro-industry with a corpus of Rs. 200 crore. ·  Setting up a “Trade Facilitation Centre” and a “Crafts Museum” with an outlay of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15 to develop and promote handloom products and carry forward the rich tradition of handlooms of Varanasi. ·  Setting up  “Textile Mega-clusters” at Bareily, Lucknow, Surat, Kuttch, Bhagalpur, Mysore and one in Tamil Nadu with an allocation of Rs. 200 crore in 2014-15. ·  Setting up a “Hastkala Academy” in Delhi for the preservation, revival, and documentation of the handloom/handicraft sector with an allocation of Rs. 30 crore in 2014-15. ·  Starting up a “Pashmina Promotion Programme” and a programme for the development of other crafts of Jammu & Kashmir. A total sum of Rs.50 crore in 2014-15 has been allocated for this purpose. ·  Setting up an institution called “3P India” to provide support to mainstreaming Public Private Partnerships with a corpus of Rs. 500 crore. ·  Development of “Outer Harbour Project” phase I in Tuticorin at a total cost of Rs. 11,635 crore. ·  Development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Kandla and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai. ·  Development of   1,620 kms ‘Jal Marg Vikas’ (National Waterways-I) on river Ganga between Allahabad and Haldia. The project will be completed over six years at an estimated cost of Rs. 4,200 crore. ·  “Ultra-Modern Super Critical Coal Based Thermal Power Technology” scheme  for promotion of cleaner and more efficient thermal power, with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore for preparatory work. ·  Taking up “Ultra Mega Solar Power” projects in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Laddakh in J&K with initial allocation of Rs. 500 crore. ·  Launching a scheme of “Solar Power Driven Agricultural Pump Sets” and “Water Pumping Stations” for energizing one lakh pumps with an allocation of Rs. 400 crore in 2014-15. ·  44. Development of 1 MW Solar Parks on the banks of canals with an additional allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15. ·  Launching of Financial Inclusion Mission to empower the weaker sections of the society, including women, small and marginal farmers and labourers. Subsequently, this scheme called as “Jan Dhan Yojana” was launched on August 15, 2014. ·  Construction of a “War Memorial” and a “War Museum”. Allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been allocated for this purpose. ·  Construction of a “National Police Memorial”. An allocation of Rs. 50 crore has been allocated for this purpose in 2014-15. ·  Creation of 5 tourist circuits around specific themes. A sum of  Rs. 500 crore in 2014-15 has been allocated for this purpose. ·  Launching of “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive” (PRASAD). A sum of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15 has been allocated for this purpose. ·  Launching of “National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana” (HRIDAY). An allocation of Rs. 200 crore has been earmarked for the scheme. ·  Setting up an “Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission” called “Namami Gange”. A sum of Rs.  2,037 crore has been earmarked for this purpose. ·  “Ghat Development and Beautification of River Front” at Kedarnath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Patna and Delhi. An allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been made in 2014-15. ·   An “NRI Fund for Ganga” is proposed to be set up for financing special projects. ·  Two agri-biotech clusters in Pune and Kolkata are proposed to be established. ·  Setting up a sports university in Manipur. An allocation of Rs.100 crore has been made in 2014-15 for this purpose. ·  Setting up a National Centre for Himalayan Studies in Uttarakhand with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore. ·  Setting up a Central University in Seemandhra. A token provision of Rs.1 crore has been made in 2014-15 for this purpose. ·  Setting up Tribal Universities in Seemandhra and Telengana. A token provision of Rs. 2 crore made in 2014-15 for this purpose. ·  Setting up IITs/IIMs including upgradation of 5 IITs/IIMs. A fund of Rs. 500 crore has been earmarked for this purpose in 2014-15. ·  Setting up IIT, NIT, IIM, IISER and IIIT in Seemandhra.  A token provision of Rs.1 crore for each institute has been made in 2014-15. ·  Enhancement of sports facility in Jammu & Kashmir.  A sum of Rs. 200 crore has been provided for upgrading the indoor and outdoor sports stadiums to international standards. ·  A National Sports Talent Search System Programme is proposed. A sum of Rs.50 crore has been set aside for this purpose. ·  Promotion of leadership skills through “A Young Leaders Programme” with an initial allocation of Rs.100 crore.            This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Planning, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.            The Minister said that certain new schemes announced post Union Budget 2014-15 include: ·        Make in India: Make in India is a new national program designed to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, protect intellectual property and build best in class manufacturing infrastructure. It focuses on sectors such as automobiles, aviation, bio-technology, chemicals, construction, food processing, defence manufacturing, electronic machinery, mining, oil and gas, ports, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, tourism and hospitality, etc. ·        Saansad Gram Adarsh Yojana:  Saansad Gram Adarsh Yojana is a village development programme aimed at instilling certain values in the villages and their people so that they get transformed into models for others. Under this scheme, each Member of Parliament will take the responsibility of developing physical and institutional infrastructure in three villages by 2019 of which one would be achieved by 2016. Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024

G20 Summit and india

India participated in the G-20 Summit held in Australia recently. The G20 Summit was held in Brisbane on 15-16 November 2014. The topics for discussion in the plenary sessions focussed on: (i) `Global Economy` with an emphasis on increasing investment in infrastructure and strengthening job creation; (VI) `Delivering global economic resilience` with an emphasis on strengthening the international `cax system, the financial system and IMF Reforms; (iii) `Energy` with an emphasis on strengthening collaboration, energy efficiency and gas markets; (iv) `Trade` with an emphasis on the trade as a driver of growth and strengthening of the global trading, system. On conclusion, the G20 Leaders formally adopted the Leaders` Communique which provides the details of discussions and agreements arrived at by the member countries. The Brisbane Leaders Communique provides details of all the outcomes of the Summit. The Communique can be accessed at https://g2Q.org. Some of the key selected outcomes, of significance to India, as contained in the Communique are as follows: 1. The Leaders agreed to an ambitious goal of lifting the G20`s GDP by at least an additional two per cent by 2018 and creating millions of jobs. India is likely to benefit from higher global growth which can ensure greater economic development of the country. 2. The Leaders endorsed the Global Infrastructure Initiative, a multi-year work programme to lift quality public and private infrastructure investment. To support implementation of the Initiative, G20 agreed to establish a Global Infrastructure Hub with a four-year mandate. The Hub will facilitate knowledge sharing and also promote financing of infrastructure, which are critical for India. 3. The Leaders agreed to continue working on measures to facilitate long-term financing from institutional investors and to encourage market sources of finance, including transparent securitisation, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises which are important sectors for India. 4. The Leaders also endorsed the global Common Reporting Standard (CRS) for the Automatic Exchange of Tax Information (AEOI) on a reciprocal basis to prevent cross-border tax evasion. In this regard, G20 member agreed to exchange information automatically with each other and with other countries by 2017 or end-2018, subject to completing necessary legislative procedures. The AEOI based on CRS, when fully implemented, would enable India to receive information from every country in the world including offshore financial centres and tax havens. This would prevent international tax evasion and avoidance and would be instrumental in getting information and repatriation of unaccounted money stashed abroad. 5. India has been insisting that reducing the cost of transferring remittances under a timeline was very crucial for developing countries. Subsequently, the G20 members committed to take strong practical measures to reduce the global average cost of transferring remittances to five per cent and to enhance financial inclusion as a priority. 6. The Leaders also agreed to the collective goal of reducing the gap in labour participation rates between men and women by 25 per cent by 2025, taking into account national circumstances. 7. The Leaders also urged the United States to ratify implementation of the IMF 2010 reforms. Further, in case this does not happen by year-end, then the G20 has asked the IMF to build on its existing work and stand ready with options for next steps.

Shyamala Gopinath Committee for KVP

The Shyamala Gopinath Comrnittee constituted on Small Savings Schemes has submitted its report to the Government. Major recommendations of the committee were:- (i) to reduce/abolish agent`s commission except Manila Pradhan Kshetriya Bachat Yojana (MPKBY) agents to restrict management cost (ii) secondary market yields on Central Government Securities of comparable maturities should be the benchmarks for the interest on various small savings instruments and should be reset every 1s1 April (iii) Committee recommended to reduce minimum share for States from 80% to 50% against net collection and recommended that amount received on redemption of Central/State Governments securities should be reinvested between Centre and States in the ratio of 50:50. After detailed deliberation and in light of views received from State Governments, various Departments of Central Government and Agent`s Association, most of the recommendations of the Committee are being implemented. In view of developments observed by the Committee in 2011 on AML/CFT front the KVP was recommended to be discontinued by the Committee. KVP has been re-notified by the Government on 23-9-2014. Under the re-notified KVP the investor has to undergo the Know Your Customer (KYC) modalities at Post Office or Bank.

Wish you all the best for your IAS Mains exam!!,SAMVEG IAS DEHRADUN

Finally the time has come when you have to perform for your better future.Look at it as an oppotunity to achieve something that you would like to enjoy most.It is nothing like fail or pass.This is time to keep motivated  your self and give your 100%  during exam.Attempt maximum number of questions as every marks are imp for your selection.

Hoping god will be always with you...again best of luck

SAMVEG IAS

Second National Lok Adalats across the country settles 1.25 crore cases

The Second National Lok Adalat was held acrossIndia on 6th December 2014 involving the Supreme Court, 24 high courts, districts courts and taluka-level courts.

These nationwide adalats settled nearly around 1.25 crore pending and pre-litigation cases and brought financial relief of over 3,000 crore rupees to ordinary litigants in a single day.

It was organised by the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) and has helped to reduce backlog of cases by about nine percent in all the States.

Even in the Supreme Court, 28 out of 53 cases put up for settlement were disposed of and cheques were handed out at the time of settlement itself.

In the Second National Lok Adalat, the cases settled out of court included family disputes, matrimonial cases, motor accident claims, bank recoveries, petty criminal matters, revenue matters, disbursement of payment under theMGNREGA and other government welfare schemes.

About Lok Adalats

Lok Adalats (people’s courts) settle dispute through conciliation and compromise. The First Lok Adalat was held in Una city in Junagarh district ofGujarat in 1982. Generally, Lok Adalat accepts the cases pending in the regular courts within their jurisdiction which could be settled by conciliation and compromise.

The decision of the Lok Adalat is binding on the parties to the dispute and its order is capable of execution through legal process. No appeal lies against the order of the Lok Adalat.

First National Lok Adalats was held across the country in all courts on 23rdNovember 2013. It had settled a record 28.26 lakh cases pending in various courts.

Good intent not enough for good policy

In order to deliver on its promise of an independent nuclear programme, unencumbered by foreign pressure, and uphold the importance of nuclear power in India’s energy mix, the Modi government will have to find a way out of the impasse created by the present civil liability regime

The Indian Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) of 2010 is a good example of how good intentions alone do not lead to good policy. After obtaining a historic waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2008, which enabled India to engage in international civil nuclear commerce and acquire new technology for Gen 3 nuclear power plants, India adopted the CLNDA whose ambiguous provisions have adversely impacted expansion of nuclear power generation capacity. These provisions may be well intentioned but the open-ended liability law makes all vendors, domestic and international, reluctant to engage with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL). Since 2010, NPCIL has been unable to launch any new nuclear power project (Kudankulam 1&2 predate the CLNDA) and faces difficulties even in sourcing spares domestically for its indigenously designed Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR).

Importance of targets

This reluctance has negative consequences because to sustain annual growth rates of 9 per cent till 2035, India’s power generation has to grow 6 to 7 times. From 225 GW of installed capacity today, covering thermal, hydel and renewables, it has to reach 1,200 GW by 2035. Nuclear generation accounting for 4.8 GW today could rise to 80 GW, which is consistent with India’s three-phase nuclear programme and the quest for long-term energy security. To meet this target, seven more indigenously designed PHWRs are expected to come on stream by 2017 taking capacity to 9 GW. In the second stage, with 10 Light Water Reactors set up with international collaborations (the United States, France and Russia), another 10 PHWRs and the proven prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, Indian nuclear generation should reach 30 GW, ready to transition to the third stage, based on the thorium generated U-233 cycle. However, the nuclear installed capacity remains static though capacity utilisation has gone up, thanks to imported uranium fuel.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s election manifesto promised a “two-pronged independent nuclear program, unencumbered by foreign pressure and influence” and on the civilian side, reiterated the importance of nuclear power in India’s energy mix, while committing to “invest in India’s indigenous Thorium Technology Programme”. To deliver on this, the Modi government will have to find a way out of the impasse created by the present liability regime. It needs to be understood that this is necessary not in order to import Gen 3 reactors from foreign sources, but even if NPCIL chooses to follow the indigenous route because Indian vendors are equally concerned about the open-ended and ambiguous provisions of the CLNDA. Earlier, NPCIL included a “hold harmless” clause in its contract with Indian vendors absolving them of liability, but this is no longer possible after the CLNDA.

International liability regimes

A peculiarity about international nuclear liability law is the concept of “channelling.” In order to encourage its private sector to enter the nuclear power sector, the U.S. introduced “economic channelling” through the Price Anderson Act (1957) under which victims can initiate lawsuits against the power plant operator and other parties (designer, equipment vendors, etc), consistent with tort law. However, in order to make it easier for victims to claim compensation in case of an accident, the operator bears the entire financial liability burden and is obliged to take out omnibus insurance, to indemnify the vendors. The operator nevertheless enjoys right of recourse against designers, vendors, constructors, etc. In 1979, following the Three Mile Island accident, the victims sued the operator, the designer and the constructor. While settlement was done by the operator, the operator had sued the designer and this suit was settled out of court. Operators accepted economic channelling but with a financial ceiling and a limited time frame within which liability claims would be admissible. For the victim, the advantage was strict liability (the victim does not need to prove negligence), a single forum and a single applicable law.

However, when U.S. companies began exporting know-how and technology to Europe, they were not willing to bear liability for a nuclear accident in a foreign country. Harvard Law School and the Atomic Industrial Forum came up with a report promoting “legal channelling” and with the U.S. government’s support, this became the international norm beginning with the Paris Convention in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1960, the Vienna Convention in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1963 and the 1997 Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC). India signed the CSC but finds it difficult to ratify it because of inconsistency with domestic legislation.

Ambiguities in CLNDA

The key point in “legal channelling” is that victims can only sue the operator and no civil suits can be initiated by the victims or the operator against the vendors, designers or contractors, and, the law of torts is set aside. The rationale used in the Harvard Report was that post delivery, vendors lose control over their products and services and accidents could be caused on account of poor management. Incidentally, while the U.S. has been a strong promoter of “legal channelling” abroad, domestically, it has maintained “economic channelling” which retains applicability of tort law albeit in a modified manner.

The concept of “channelling” was justified on the grounds that the nuclear industry was in its infancy, insurance markets and pools were not well developed and open-ended tort law applicability would make insurance costs impossible to define. The situation is different today and there is a growing feeling that “legal channelling” is no longer needed. The CLNDA rejects channelling and introduces “supplier liability,” more in keeping with today’s thinking. However, while protecting the interests of the victims, it ends up making the notion of “supplier liability” somewhat infinite and open-ended, generating legitimate concerns on the part of the vendors, leading to the current impasse.

There are two contentious provisions in the CLNDA. Section 17 allows the operator (NPCIL at present) to have right of recourse for nuclear damage against a supplier on three counts — if it is provided in the contract, if it is on account of equipment having “latent or patent defects” or provision of “substandard services”, or if there has been intent to cause damage. The first and third counts are consistent with international regimes; the second provision raises questions. These terms are neither defined nor is there guidance as to what standards would apply in an Indian court. Further, analysis of reactor incidents has indicated that it is impossible to identify a particular component or equipment as the defective one which could lead to unending litigation. However, in order to safeguard the victims’ interests, the operator’s right of recourse only kicks in after payments for nuclear damage have been made. In other words, the CLNDA retains the strict and exclusive liability principles associated with “channelling.” Section 46 provides that the provisions of the CLNDA are “in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law,” which has the effect of making the supplier subject to Indian laws that apply to any industrial accident including criminal liability, tort law, etc, leaving potential liability open-ended and insurance difficult to manage.

Under the CLNDA, a set of Rules was promulgated in 2011. Rule 24 was intended to address these concerns but failed to do so and generated further questions. It limits the operator’s right of recoursevis-à-vis the supplier, both monetarily and in terms of a time frame. However, while it is clear that Rule 24 applies to the first part of Section 17, there are questions about its applicability to the second part.

The way forward

To resolve this, the Modi government will need to follow certain guidelines. First, the problem needs to be identified as first and foremost, a domestic vendor problem and not misconstrued as addressing foreign vendors’ concerns. Second, it has to be addressed in an open and transparent manner involving all stakeholders including civil society and media, and not by stealth or clever fixes which end up in embarrassing dead-ends. The two principles of safeguarding victims’ interests, in terms of both strict and exclusive jurisdiction, and prompt redress of damage claims, have already been accepted and are not undermined by any redistribution of rights and obligations between the operator and the suppliers. Given the slow pace of litigation in India, “channelling” would be beneficial to victims but cannot coexist with general applicability of tort law. Therefore, just as Rule 24 constrains parts of Section 17, definitions of new terms and rules have to be developed to ensure that supplier liability is neither open-ended nor infinite. Second, cascading insurance premiums should not render nuclear power economically unviable.

Finally, we need to think in the long term. Tomorrow, the nuclear power sector could be opened up to private operators as is the case with other power generation. As the repository of power reactor technology, NPCIL will then be the design provider and would hardly like to be faced with the CLNDA as it currently stands. Good intentions need a vision to translate into good policy.

President of India attends Valedictory Function of 89thFoundation Course at LBSNNA

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee attended the Valedictory Function of 89th Foundation Course for Civil Services at the LalBahadurShastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie today (December 12, 2014). Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the young officer-trainees and said that they have entered the All India Services and Central Civil Services after clearing the Civil Services Examination, which is one of the toughest examinations in the country. He stated that these young officers of the nation, are going to work in various sectors of administration, furthering the cause of the nation in different spheres. He asked officers to remember that in whatever branch they are engaged in they should never lose sight of the pan-India perception which is welfare of the people and progress of the nation. The President said that the provisions of the Constitution of India have taken care of the evolving needs of our growing democracy. Adhering to our Constitutional charter, India’s governance framework has been geared towards upholding our democratic structure. The role of the civil service has to be perceived in the context of preserving these values. He said that good governance is the exercise of power, within the framework of the Constitution, for efficient and effective management of our economic and social resources for the well-being of the people, through the institutions of state. ‘Good governance’, as a concept, has been in vogue since the ancient times. Kautilya had mentioned about the inseparable link between the happiness of a king and that of his subjects. Good governance stands for a framework that has the singular agenda of well-being of the people. The President stated that Public administration plays a pivotal role in our polity. He advised the young officers that they should always be responsive to the needs of the public. They should adopt a rational approach while performing their duties.