ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRI RAM NATH KOVIND ON THE OCCASION OF CALL ON BY THE OFFICER TRAINEES OF CENTRAL FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS SERVICE
Rashtrapati Bhavan : 09.05.2018
1. I am happy to meet you and to learn of your training and your experience. Among you, we have enthusiastic and bright officers who would soon serve the Indian Civil Accounts Service, the Indian Defence Accounts Service and the Indian Post and Tele-communication [Finance and Accounts] Service. The Services you belong to are vital pillars of our nation building, and, as such, a lot is expected of you.
2. I understand that your training at the National Institute of Financial Management is on course. And you would soon be ready, fully equipped with skills and global best practices, to strengthen India’s financial management system. Your work and responsibilities sit at the defining edge of "good governance” in the country. You have to, therefore, maintain the highest standard of ethics, accountability and transparency at all times in your respective fields. You have equally critical role to play in implementation of government schemes and projects. After all, be it the government or the private sector, we know how important the role of Financial Administrators is to get things done in a time-bound manner. I do hope you will do your best on this account.
3. The mantra of our Government is "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”. At the same time, there is rising expectation among our citizens for greater efficiency in public service delivery today. The task at hand for you, indeed, is demanding. But with greater integration of technology in your work, be it new IT platforms, payment gateways or the endless possibilities of cyberspace, you can achieve the desired results. Reforming our account, budget and audit systems and constantly updating them in line with global best practices must also be high on your agenda. From accrual accounting to integrated financial management information systems, we have to keep pace with the latest.
4. India is on a high growth trajectory. With expansion of our economy, we are bound to see commensurate enlargement of our financial management system. This would seek greater commitment and dedication from you, especially as the Government strives harder to distribute the fruits of development and make the growth inclusive.
5. Another area where a lot is expected from you is resource mobilization. I would encourage you to study the models of innovative financing being practiced the world over. This would throw up new ideas and help us generate domestic resources to boost infrastructure, finance social projects and build a "New India” that we want to by 2022.
6. As you work through your careers, you would also be taking on policy making task. In this capacity, I would urge you to see how best we can combine growth with sustainability. We have little option today but to do more with less; be it water, clean energy, natural resource management or extracting wealth from waste.
7. The world that we live in is changing at a fast pace. Renewable energy, blue economy, digital solutions, cyber security, artificial intelligence, block-chain and Internet of Things are going to be the drivers of this change. These have the potential to completely overhaul the way we live, govern and account for our resources. You have to prepare for these changes, and adapt to them innovatively and in a time-bound manner.
8. And finally, few words about the National Institute of Financial Management, where you are being trained. I must say it has made singular contribution to strengthening governance in the country. Its motto -मनुष्यवती भूमिरर्थः taken from Kautilya’s Arthashastra, meaning human resources are the real wealth of a nation, must continue to inspire and guide you. And here I would leave another thought with you. All of you would soon embark on the high journey of nation building. You must do so with humility and compassion and try to give back to the society, to the poor and needy the foremost.
9. I wish you all success in your careers ahead.