Kamal Nath floats awards for Ideas Of Change

Bhopal, Jan 17 (IANS) Chief Minister Kamal Nath threw a challenge before the state bureaucracy asking it to offer "new ideas for a change" and win awards.

Addressing the inaugural session of IAS Service Meet 2020 at Naronha Academy of Administration here on Friday, Kamal Nath said just as India is a nation full of diversities, Madhya Pradesh is a state full of diversities. This diversity needs to be transformed into positive energy.

Kamal Nath said that the country which matched India in diversity was the Soviet Union. Today it does not exist, because it did not have a culture of reflection and tolerance like India.

He said the IAS officers who are in the middle of their service and the ones who are about to complete the service must ponder on where they want to leave the state. Those who are just setting out on their career should think about where they want to see the state.

Administrative officers are providers of justice, the Chief Minister adding that there can be limitations of values like freedom and equality offered in the constitution, but there is no such limit to administering justice to the society which can be afforded at all times and in all circumstances. There is change needed in the outlook.

He said the ability and skill the administrative officers possess is not always there with the political leadership.

He said each political change leads to change in administrative system. However, knowledge, statecraft and skills are the qualities that perennial. The administrators can draw from their repertoire to take the state forward.

The Chief Minister also floated three awards for transformative 'New Idea of Change'. A jury of three former Chief Secretaries will be constituted to select the best idea for the award, he said.

The Chief Minister said that every state has its own profile. All of us will have to contribute to bring about a change in the profile. The current profile needs to be changed. A new identity of Madhya Pradesh will have to be created. For this maximum economic activity should be introduced in the state. The technology is changing every moment. The whole of India is changing. The access to the knowledge and information has increased today like never before. The bureaucracy must tap it to yield best results.