SUSTAINING AND ACCELERATING INDIA'S PROGRESS IN THE FACE OF EVOLVING CHALLENGES REQUIRES DEDICATED INVESTMENT IN STATE MACHINERY TO REINVENT AND REINVIGORATE ITSELF - ECONOMIC SURVEY 2023-24

SURVEY NOTES THE BEGINNING OF LATERAL ENTRY INTO THE SENIOR RANKS OF CENTRAL MINISTRIES AND RECOMMENDS FOR ITS EXPANSION

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS AND PRACTICES WILL BECOME NECESSARY TO ENSURE POLICY OUTCOMES AT SCALE AND SPEED- SURVEY

Enhancing state capacity and capability is critical to ensure that the growth strategy for Indian economy in medium term outlook achieves fruition. This was stated by Economic Survey 2023-24, tabled by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament today. Sustaining and accelerating India's progress in the face of evolving challenges requires dedicated investment in state machinery to reinvent and reinvigorate itself, says the Survey. It says that since 2014, India has made significant strides in delivering crucial infrastructure and implementing direct benefit schemes aimed at enhancing citizens’ well-being and the civil service has been at the heart of these transformative efforts. 

The Survey notes that the government has responded to the challenge of building state capacity by launching Mission Karmayogi, which deconstructs the problem into more tractable sub - components. It says the program builds a much-needed bridge between capacity building and human resource management systems by connecting workplace roles and workers’ competencies.  

The Survey says that capacity-building programmes, both in terms of pre-service training and ongoing professional development, can be designed to build the specific competencies that a civil servant needs to perform their role well. It says the iGOT Karmayogi platform is rapidly shaping into a central node that enables civil servants to access tailored and needbased capacity-building modules, track their competency requirements and gaps, and share knowledge and learnings across departments.

The Survey adds that in recent years, the Government has made a significant beginning in lateral entry into the senior ranks of Central Ministries through a transparent process and recommends that this needs to be substantially expanded. It says foundational and mid-career training for civil servants in all specialities has to be re-imagined for the recharging and rebooting of skills, aptitude and attitudes.

Length of tenure too is critical to grow into the demands of, and be productive and purposeful, in senior roles. Accountability mechanisms and practices will become necessary, if not already, to ensure policy outcomes at scale and speed. Annual conversations on goals and measurement – at the beginning and the end of the year – at senior levels will usher in professionalism and accountability, the Survey mentions.