SDF MANIFESTO 2009
• reservation in education and appointments:
Our Government has strengthened the mechanism of reservation of seats. In the higher education the Old Business Community will be provided 5% reservation.
• Complete safeguard of dignity of Sikkimese Bhutia, Lepcha, Nepali and the_old businessmen and traders.
The first responsibility of our government is to safeguard the identity and dignity of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people. Our government through its pro people policies and programs has won many accolades which has enhanced the image of Sikkim at the national and intern national level.
Our business community has contributed immensely toward the overall development of our State. This has been made possible by their hard work in an atmosphere of peace and security which has been provided by our Government. Their hard work has been recognized by our Government and citations and awards have been given to several and old citizens of the community. We will continue to adopt the same policy and shall protect their interest in the State. We have passed a resolution in the Legislative Assembly for exempting them from Central Income Tax for the Old Business Community. Our SDF party has also ratified this stand with the support of the people of Sikkim.
In schools and colleges, they enjoy the same privileges at par with other communities in the State. Reservation is granted to them in higher education. The same shall continue.
• Exemption of Central Income Taxes to Sikkimese People
The Sikkim Subject Certificate holders have been exempted from paying Central Income Tax and this demand has been fulfilled by SDF Government during the last term. This achievement can be called historic as the demand was pending for a long time. While protecting this achievement of securing exemption from the Central Income Tax, Our Government has not lost sight of the genuine demand of the Old Business Communities, old residents and Old Government employees, both State and Central. Our Government is seized of this problem and we are going to strongly plead for equal rights of the old business community of Sikkim.
• Protection and respect to Old Business Community of Sikkim
The SDF Government has given respect and justice to the old business people of Sikkim along with the rest of the Sikkimese Communities. This community which has contributed a great deal to the overall development of Sikkim has been recognized for the first time by our Government. They have also been given a proper business environment to flourish in a democratic manner and set up. They have been given dignity, respect and rights to live and practice their business in the State. We will continue and ensure that our business community members receive this respect and positive business environment. In addition to other facilities and rights provided to our business community it is the SDF Government which has for the first time provided higher education facilities (quota) for their children. This will continue. They do not have to face any obstruction, disrespect or difficulty in carrying on their business and exercising their fundamental rights.
SDF’ MANIFESTO
15TH LOK SABHA AND 8TH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
TAX EXEMPTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNITIES PROMISED BY SDF CHIEF
JORETHANG :10th April 2009
Source:Sikkim Express)
The election trail of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party could not have a better opening as a regional party, Sikkim Progressive Party (SPP) joined the ruling party in totality during today’s inaugural election campaign of the SDF at Jorethang in South Sikkim.
SPP president Sher Hang Subba was inducted into the SDF party along with his 1100 supporters by the SDF president and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who was kickstarting the SDF party’s election campaign from today.
Interestingly, Mr. Subba had as recently as on April 3 had announced several candidates including himself for the upcoming polls in the State.
The uniqueness of the SDF’s first election cry towards a record breaking fourth consecutive term was evident throughout the daylong session. Firstly, there were not much hullabaloo or people jostling for space in queues to receive the Chief Minister as he drove close to the podium in a private vehicle, a white SUV Toyato Prado with the SDF flag mounted atop the bonnet.
And, unlike his previous marathon speeches, the Chief Minister limited to speech to just 2 hours wrapping the Day One of the SDF’s election trail at around 3.30 pm giving ample time to the mammoth gathering from all parts of the State to reach their homes by the evening hours.
Chamling who was dressed in a casual beige jacket and was accompanied at the dais by the SDF Lok Sabha candidate PD Rai and was seated just 12 people on the dais including Speaker DN Takarpa, the SDF state level campaign committee chairman DD Bhutia, the other four members and the incumbent legislator from Jorethang, KN Rai.
All others including the new party candidates and the outgoing legislators were seated in an enclosure that had theatre style seating facing the dias.
Addressing the mammoth gathering of SDF workers at Jorethang ground, Mr. Chamling gave a detailed account of the developmental achievements of his SDF party for the past 3 terms in government while pledging to give continuity to the developmental activities in order to bring them to a logical conclusion.
“Quality education, tourism and health will be the key sectors which we will focus on after forming the next government. “It is our vow and commitment to continue the developmental works and programes being carried out by the party in the past 15 years and bring them to a logical end. Our politics just does not end with elections, fight it and win it but it is in fact a mission to reach our goals and targets”, said Mr. Chamling while presenting the party’s agendas and poll promises.
Mr. Chamling appealed the people to vote for SDF not for its face value but for the innumerable developmental activities that the SDF government has done in the past 15 years.
Most of Mr. Chamling’s address focused only on the SDF’s dreams for Sikkim Nirman and uplifting the poor people. “I can understand the pain and problems of my people”, he said.
As promised during the party’s election manifesto release occasion on April 4, the SDF chief did not indulge in any opposition battering but instead chose to highlight the SDF party policies and programmes for the Sikkimese people. However, he could not help himself in claiming that the opposition parties will not win even a single constituency in the upcoming elections in Sikkim.
Stating that his government wants to build a strong human resource in the State, Mr. Chamling promised to allocate 10 percent of the State’s annual budget for the human resource development programmes in Sikkim. Educated youths will be provided with various kinds of skill developmental programmes in the country and abroad, he said.
SDF government wants to make the youths only degree holders but will also empower them with skills, said Mr. Chamling.
The SDF president also promised to regularize all the ad-hoc teachers of the State while the entire Muster Roll employees will be regularized in their respective departments in the next SDF government.
The next SDF government will focus on institutionalizing quality education in the State and all the government education institutes as capable and good as public schools, said Mr. Chamling. He promised that the SDF government will provide 100 percent financial assistance to the students who gets admission in the top 20 universities of the world and also assured of all possible help for those students who want to take admission in the renowned schools, colleges and the universities of the country.
On the tourism sector, Mr. Chamling said that his next government will focus on promoting village tourism along with cultural and traditional tourism in Sikkim.
While reminding the Sikkimese people about the income tax exemption delivered by the SDF government, Mr. Chamling promised to deliver similar exemption to the business community of Sikkim in the next SDF government.
Source:Sikkim Express)
The election trail of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party could not have a better opening as a regional party, Sikkim Progressive Party (SPP) joined the ruling party in totality during today’s inaugural election campaign of the SDF at Jorethang in South Sikkim.
SPP president Sher Hang Subba was inducted into the SDF party along with his 1100 supporters by the SDF president and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who was kickstarting the SDF party’s election campaign from today.
Interestingly, Mr. Subba had as recently as on April 3 had announced several candidates including himself for the upcoming polls in the State.
The uniqueness of the SDF’s first election cry towards a record breaking fourth consecutive term was evident throughout the daylong session. Firstly, there were not much hullabaloo or people jostling for space in queues to receive the Chief Minister as he drove close to the podium in a private vehicle, a white SUV Toyato Prado with the SDF flag mounted atop the bonnet.
And, unlike his previous marathon speeches, the Chief Minister limited to speech to just 2 hours wrapping the Day One of the SDF’s election trail at around 3.30 pm giving ample time to the mammoth gathering from all parts of the State to reach their homes by the evening hours.
Chamling who was dressed in a casual beige jacket and was accompanied at the dais by the SDF Lok Sabha candidate PD Rai and was seated just 12 people on the dais including Speaker DN Takarpa, the SDF state level campaign committee chairman DD Bhutia, the other four members and the incumbent legislator from Jorethang, KN Rai.
All others including the new party candidates and the outgoing legislators were seated in an enclosure that had theatre style seating facing the dias.
Addressing the mammoth gathering of SDF workers at Jorethang ground, Mr. Chamling gave a detailed account of the developmental achievements of his SDF party for the past 3 terms in government while pledging to give continuity to the developmental activities in order to bring them to a logical conclusion.
“Quality education, tourism and health will be the key sectors which we will focus on after forming the next government. “It is our vow and commitment to continue the developmental works and programes being carried out by the party in the past 15 years and bring them to a logical end. Our politics just does not end with elections, fight it and win it but it is in fact a mission to reach our goals and targets”, said Mr. Chamling while presenting the party’s agendas and poll promises.
Mr. Chamling appealed the people to vote for SDF not for its face value but for the innumerable developmental activities that the SDF government has done in the past 15 years.
Most of Mr. Chamling’s address focused only on the SDF’s dreams for Sikkim Nirman and uplifting the poor people. “I can understand the pain and problems of my people”, he said.
As promised during the party’s election manifesto release occasion on April 4, the SDF chief did not indulge in any opposition battering but instead chose to highlight the SDF party policies and programmes for the Sikkimese people. However, he could not help himself in claiming that the opposition parties will not win even a single constituency in the upcoming elections in Sikkim.
Stating that his government wants to build a strong human resource in the State, Mr. Chamling promised to allocate 10 percent of the State’s annual budget for the human resource development programmes in Sikkim. Educated youths will be provided with various kinds of skill developmental programmes in the country and abroad, he said.
SDF government wants to make the youths only degree holders but will also empower them with skills, said Mr. Chamling.
The SDF president also promised to regularize all the ad-hoc teachers of the State while the entire Muster Roll employees will be regularized in their respective departments in the next SDF government.
The next SDF government will focus on institutionalizing quality education in the State and all the government education institutes as capable and good as public schools, said Mr. Chamling. He promised that the SDF government will provide 100 percent financial assistance to the students who gets admission in the top 20 universities of the world and also assured of all possible help for those students who want to take admission in the renowned schools, colleges and the universities of the country.
On the tourism sector, Mr. Chamling said that his next government will focus on promoting village tourism along with cultural and traditional tourism in Sikkim.
While reminding the Sikkimese people about the income tax exemption delivered by the SDF government, Mr. Chamling promised to deliver similar exemption to the business community of Sikkim in the next SDF government.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
BAGDOGRA-BANGKOK SERVICE FROM APRIL 18, 2009
GANGTOK: 4th April 2009.
Royal Bhutan airline Druk Air, popular known as the wings of Dragon, is going to launch twice-a-weekly service from Bagdogra to Bangkok.
The inaugural flight will be launched on April 18,2009.
According to the new schedule, flights will take off from Bagdogra on Tuesday and Saturday and return on Wednesday and Sunday, charging Rs 6,000 one way to Bangkok or Rs 10,000 both ways, excluding Rs 250 and other service charge.
The charge for Bagdogra to Paro, Bhutan, would be Rs 2,000 plus Rs 250. Passengers from Bagdogra will get enhanced connectivity from Bangkok to several destinations across North America, Europe, Asia and West Asia. The 114 passengers will fly by A319 Air Boeing with enough cargo space.
According to CEO Tandin Jamso, Druk Air, which celebrated silver jubilee last year has decided to buy one more Boeing aircraft and one at least will be taken on lease. Though they are running seven linkages with India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand, attempts are on to expand Druk Air services to Hong Kong, Singapore and many other places like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
Sikkim airport is likely to be commissioned by July 2011.
Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) general secretary Lukendra Rasaily welcomed the new service, saying it would change the face of tourism in the region.
“The new air service will also help international tourists to come to Sikkim via Bangkok,” he said.
Sikkim Tourism Secretary S.B.S. Bhadauria, who was also present at the press conference, expressed hope that the new service would help increase the international tourist inflow to Sikkim and the entire region.
He also urged the Druk Air management to complete the required formalities in advance so that it can start flying the Sikkim circuit soon after the airport here becomes operational.
Currently, the nearest airport to Sikkim is Bagdogra, 124 km from here.
Jamso assured that Druk Air would be the first airline to start operations in Sikkim once the airport is ready.
Sikkim Chamber of Commerce has congratulated Druk Air of launching Bagdogra-Bangkok service. It will bring more tourists to Sikkim and it will provide route to explore Sikkim’s organic products, flowers in South East Asia. It will provide easy route for travellers of this region who want to go Eastwards in the Globe.
Royal Bhutan airline Druk Air, popular known as the wings of Dragon, is going to launch twice-a-weekly service from Bagdogra to Bangkok.
The inaugural flight will be launched on April 18,2009.
According to the new schedule, flights will take off from Bagdogra on Tuesday and Saturday and return on Wednesday and Sunday, charging Rs 6,000 one way to Bangkok or Rs 10,000 both ways, excluding Rs 250 and other service charge.
The charge for Bagdogra to Paro, Bhutan, would be Rs 2,000 plus Rs 250. Passengers from Bagdogra will get enhanced connectivity from Bangkok to several destinations across North America, Europe, Asia and West Asia. The 114 passengers will fly by A319 Air Boeing with enough cargo space.
According to CEO Tandin Jamso, Druk Air, which celebrated silver jubilee last year has decided to buy one more Boeing aircraft and one at least will be taken on lease. Though they are running seven linkages with India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand, attempts are on to expand Druk Air services to Hong Kong, Singapore and many other places like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
Sikkim airport is likely to be commissioned by July 2011.
Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) general secretary Lukendra Rasaily welcomed the new service, saying it would change the face of tourism in the region.
“The new air service will also help international tourists to come to Sikkim via Bangkok,” he said.
Sikkim Tourism Secretary S.B.S. Bhadauria, who was also present at the press conference, expressed hope that the new service would help increase the international tourist inflow to Sikkim and the entire region.
He also urged the Druk Air management to complete the required formalities in advance so that it can start flying the Sikkim circuit soon after the airport here becomes operational.
Currently, the nearest airport to Sikkim is Bagdogra, 124 km from here.
Jamso assured that Druk Air would be the first airline to start operations in Sikkim once the airport is ready.
Sikkim Chamber of Commerce has congratulated Druk Air of launching Bagdogra-Bangkok service. It will bring more tourists to Sikkim and it will provide route to explore Sikkim’s organic products, flowers in South East Asia. It will provide easy route for travellers of this region who want to go Eastwards in the Globe.
PM TALKS WITH IAS PROBATIONERS 2008 BATCH
Text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s address to the IAS Probationers 2008batch in New Delhi 4TH aPRIL 2009:
“I am very happy to interact with you in this golden jubilee year of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy and what your Director has told me of the composition of this Batch of the IAS Probationers fills my heart with joy. That you have the largest number of women as part of this team, that a very large number of probationers have professional background. I think this augurs well for the future of our country. You are a very privileged Service. And when I look at the history of India, I marvel at the wisdom of great men and women who wrote the Constitution of India. They recognised that India would need an All India Service to keep India as one large common market, as a Union which would have in it mortal unity in diversity.
We are of course, a parliamentary democracy and peoples’ representatives are the ultimate masters of policy planning, policy making and policy implementation. But we all know the various trends and tendencies in our political life. Today, our national polity faces a great threat of fragmentation. And in this background, there is more than ever before a need for a Service like the Indian Administrative Service with an All India perspective, committed to goals and ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India in the chapters on Fundamental Human Rights, in the chapter on Directive Principles of State policy and a Service which serves of course in States. And India of course lives in States. But we are a Union of States and we must never forget this all India perspective. When you go to various States, you are incharge of various departments, you look after the interests of your departments, the interests of your States but you must never lose sight of the wider perspective that there is a wider perspective of strengthening the unity and integrity of our country which must be the paramount concern of all Services in our country and foremost of a Service like the Indian Administrative Service.
During the British times, revenue collection, maintenance of law and order were the primary concerns of the administrators. But since then, our Constitution makers and our people have entrusted more and more functions to the Government and development and inclusive development which takes into account the interest of all segments of our population, an inclusive development which pays particular attention to the interests and well being of the most under privileged sections of society, the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities and women and children and therefore it is your bounden duty as the servants of the people of India to pay particular attention to these concerns of development.
Development with a human touch, development which pays attention to the well being of all sections of society, a development process which is forward looking, which looks to the future of India with hope, with confidence and yet it is mindful of the pitfalls that might derail this process. And in all these, it is very important that you must pay particular attention to equipping yourself with latest trends in thinking about development, about environment and all other aspects which have a bearing on the processes of governance. Today, the world is changing at a pace which was unthinkable even a decade ago. Science and Technology have become the principle determiners of the wealth and well being of people all over the world. Human knowledge is therefore exploding and it is therefore very important that our Civil Servants should keep abreast of the latest trends in the development of human knowledge, knowledge which as I said is growing at a speed which was unthinkable even a decade ago. In all these, it is essential that our civil servants should be mindful of the concerns about what makes for balanced, equitable development. India is a country where 65% of people still live in rural areas. Therefore the development of agriculture, the development of rural areas, the well beings of all those who are connected with rural activities, is of paramount importance. We have decentralised the governance processes, we have now in most States , a three tier system of governance. You have the Central Government, you have the State Government, you have the Panchayati Raj institutions. It is therefore incumbent on the civil servants to work with all the three tiers of public administration with dedication. You would be working in the first few years of your life at the district level. Therefore you will come in contact with peoples’ representatives who are represented in various Panchayati Raj institutions. You must learn to win their affection and respect. You must guide them. You must at the same time, warn them of the pitfalls that have to be avoided. And district collectors have enormous responsibilities in our system. Apart from the maintenance of law and order, sustained development through district level development agencies, district planning is an equally important part of the work of district collector. And therefore what goes in the name of economic and social planning must engage your attention all the time. And as I said, planning has to take into account of the fast changing circumstances. There is the concern about environment, that development has to be environment friendly, there are concerns arising out of the challenges that we have to face when disaster overtakes us, therefore, issues concerning management of disaster have to figure as importantly in your programme, in your training, in your understanding of development processes as processes of development.
As I said, since agriculture and rural development account for nearly 70% of our people, rural development and agricultural development and all the various elements which go to make for balanced rural and agricultural development must play a prominent role in your training, in your thinking, in your education and that is the one thing which I would impress upon you that you must never forget that you are privileged to be the servant of the people of India. Also I would urge you to take account of the challenges that we face as a nation. There are today forces which seek to destabilise our economy and our polity. There are threats of terrorism. There are threats of naxalism. We must understand the ferocity of these disturbing, disruptive elements and we must devise ways and means how we can equip our economy, polity to meet the challenges of terrorism, to meet the challenges of naxalism and simultaneously we must also recognise that communalism and religious hatred can be a very disruptive element and therefore, as public servants we must be alive to the dangers of communalism, of casteism, of regionalism. We work in States, we work in regions, the development of various States and regions is no doubt the primary responsibility of civil servants working there but you must never forget the wider entity called the Union of India. You are Secretaries to various departments, but you are first Secretaries to the Government and the Government you must view as a collective, cohesive entity. And therefore I would urge you that your thought processes preserving the unity and integrity of India must have the top most priorities along with the challenges of development.
Governance is a buzz word today. There are many areas where governance is not keeping in contact with the requirements of the situation. There is growing concern about corruption in public life. There is growing concern that civil servants are not mindful of their duties. I would therefore urge that you must be mindful of the fact that the people of India have entrusted you these responsibilities and it is your solemn obligation to serve the people with the greatest dedication. Furthermore, I would urge you to be mindful of the developments that are taking place around our neighbourhood. We are today faced with a neighbourhood which is far from peaceful. You all know about the developments in Pakistan. You all know about the developments in Nepal, you all know about the recent developments in Bangladesh, you all know about the recent developments in Sri Lanka. They all impinge on our development. South Asia is in turmoil. And therefore in planning for our own development, we have to be mindful of the environment within which we have to operate. So you have enormous opportunities but also enormous challenges and I have every reason to believe that the training that you have received at the Academy will equip you to discharge your functions with great credit to yourself, to the Academy, to your parents and to your country at large.
I have great pleasure in welcoming you to the Prime Minister’s House and I wish you all Godspeed in your career.”
****
“I am very happy to interact with you in this golden jubilee year of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy and what your Director has told me of the composition of this Batch of the IAS Probationers fills my heart with joy. That you have the largest number of women as part of this team, that a very large number of probationers have professional background. I think this augurs well for the future of our country. You are a very privileged Service. And when I look at the history of India, I marvel at the wisdom of great men and women who wrote the Constitution of India. They recognised that India would need an All India Service to keep India as one large common market, as a Union which would have in it mortal unity in diversity.
We are of course, a parliamentary democracy and peoples’ representatives are the ultimate masters of policy planning, policy making and policy implementation. But we all know the various trends and tendencies in our political life. Today, our national polity faces a great threat of fragmentation. And in this background, there is more than ever before a need for a Service like the Indian Administrative Service with an All India perspective, committed to goals and ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India in the chapters on Fundamental Human Rights, in the chapter on Directive Principles of State policy and a Service which serves of course in States. And India of course lives in States. But we are a Union of States and we must never forget this all India perspective. When you go to various States, you are incharge of various departments, you look after the interests of your departments, the interests of your States but you must never lose sight of the wider perspective that there is a wider perspective of strengthening the unity and integrity of our country which must be the paramount concern of all Services in our country and foremost of a Service like the Indian Administrative Service.
During the British times, revenue collection, maintenance of law and order were the primary concerns of the administrators. But since then, our Constitution makers and our people have entrusted more and more functions to the Government and development and inclusive development which takes into account the interest of all segments of our population, an inclusive development which pays particular attention to the interests and well being of the most under privileged sections of society, the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities and women and children and therefore it is your bounden duty as the servants of the people of India to pay particular attention to these concerns of development.
Development with a human touch, development which pays attention to the well being of all sections of society, a development process which is forward looking, which looks to the future of India with hope, with confidence and yet it is mindful of the pitfalls that might derail this process. And in all these, it is very important that you must pay particular attention to equipping yourself with latest trends in thinking about development, about environment and all other aspects which have a bearing on the processes of governance. Today, the world is changing at a pace which was unthinkable even a decade ago. Science and Technology have become the principle determiners of the wealth and well being of people all over the world. Human knowledge is therefore exploding and it is therefore very important that our Civil Servants should keep abreast of the latest trends in the development of human knowledge, knowledge which as I said is growing at a speed which was unthinkable even a decade ago. In all these, it is essential that our civil servants should be mindful of the concerns about what makes for balanced, equitable development. India is a country where 65% of people still live in rural areas. Therefore the development of agriculture, the development of rural areas, the well beings of all those who are connected with rural activities, is of paramount importance. We have decentralised the governance processes, we have now in most States , a three tier system of governance. You have the Central Government, you have the State Government, you have the Panchayati Raj institutions. It is therefore incumbent on the civil servants to work with all the three tiers of public administration with dedication. You would be working in the first few years of your life at the district level. Therefore you will come in contact with peoples’ representatives who are represented in various Panchayati Raj institutions. You must learn to win their affection and respect. You must guide them. You must at the same time, warn them of the pitfalls that have to be avoided. And district collectors have enormous responsibilities in our system. Apart from the maintenance of law and order, sustained development through district level development agencies, district planning is an equally important part of the work of district collector. And therefore what goes in the name of economic and social planning must engage your attention all the time. And as I said, planning has to take into account of the fast changing circumstances. There is the concern about environment, that development has to be environment friendly, there are concerns arising out of the challenges that we have to face when disaster overtakes us, therefore, issues concerning management of disaster have to figure as importantly in your programme, in your training, in your understanding of development processes as processes of development.
As I said, since agriculture and rural development account for nearly 70% of our people, rural development and agricultural development and all the various elements which go to make for balanced rural and agricultural development must play a prominent role in your training, in your thinking, in your education and that is the one thing which I would impress upon you that you must never forget that you are privileged to be the servant of the people of India. Also I would urge you to take account of the challenges that we face as a nation. There are today forces which seek to destabilise our economy and our polity. There are threats of terrorism. There are threats of naxalism. We must understand the ferocity of these disturbing, disruptive elements and we must devise ways and means how we can equip our economy, polity to meet the challenges of terrorism, to meet the challenges of naxalism and simultaneously we must also recognise that communalism and religious hatred can be a very disruptive element and therefore, as public servants we must be alive to the dangers of communalism, of casteism, of regionalism. We work in States, we work in regions, the development of various States and regions is no doubt the primary responsibility of civil servants working there but you must never forget the wider entity called the Union of India. You are Secretaries to various departments, but you are first Secretaries to the Government and the Government you must view as a collective, cohesive entity. And therefore I would urge you that your thought processes preserving the unity and integrity of India must have the top most priorities along with the challenges of development.
Governance is a buzz word today. There are many areas where governance is not keeping in contact with the requirements of the situation. There is growing concern about corruption in public life. There is growing concern that civil servants are not mindful of their duties. I would therefore urge that you must be mindful of the fact that the people of India have entrusted you these responsibilities and it is your solemn obligation to serve the people with the greatest dedication. Furthermore, I would urge you to be mindful of the developments that are taking place around our neighbourhood. We are today faced with a neighbourhood which is far from peaceful. You all know about the developments in Pakistan. You all know about the developments in Nepal, you all know about the recent developments in Bangladesh, you all know about the recent developments in Sri Lanka. They all impinge on our development. South Asia is in turmoil. And therefore in planning for our own development, we have to be mindful of the environment within which we have to operate. So you have enormous opportunities but also enormous challenges and I have every reason to believe that the training that you have received at the Academy will equip you to discharge your functions with great credit to yourself, to the Academy, to your parents and to your country at large.
I have great pleasure in welcoming you to the Prime Minister’s House and I wish you all Godspeed in your career.”
****
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