Context:
The Government of India commemorates ‘Civil Services Day’ every year on April 21.
- The theme for this year’s Civil Services Day is ‘Viksit Bharat: Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile’.
Relevance:
GS II: Polity and Governance
Dimensions of the Article:
- History of National Civil Services Day in India:
- This year’s awards
History of National Civil Services Day in India:
- National Civil Services Day was first celebrated on April 21, 2006.
- The date was chosen because on this day in 1947, the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Metcalf House in Delhi.
- Patel referred to civil servants as the “steel frame of India” and urged them to be guided by the spirit of service in their day-to-day administration.
- Patel also encouraged civil servants to cultivate an esprit de corps, or shared feeling of pride among group members, and uphold the dignity, integrity, and incorruptibility of the Indian Administrative Service.
- National Civil Services Day is celebrated to recognize the contribution of civil servants to the development and progress of India.
This year’s awards
- The Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration were given for exemplary work done in four identified priority programmes.
- The four priority programmes are: Promoting Swachh Jal through Har Ghar Jal Yojana; Promoting Swasth Bharat through Health & Wellness Centres; Promoting quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment through Samagra Shiksha; Holistic Development through Aspirational District Programme – overall progress with special focus on saturation approach.
- A total of eight awards were conferred for the above four identified programmes even as seven awards were given for innovations.
- The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions received a total of 2520 nominations for the awards.
- The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) ensured a fair and transparent selection process for the awards, which involved multiple rounds of scrutiny, including on-site visits to the nominated organizations.
- The shortlist of candidates was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office for final selection.
-Source: Indian Express
