Workshop on governance calls for creative thinking

Jubilee Hills: Dr MCR HRD Institute of Telangana organised a 'Worksop on Innovations in Governance" for the Military Engineer Services Probationers from 13 States, who are attending a Foundation Course, sponsored by Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

The workshop was also attended by Trainee Auditors, Interns of Centre for Human Security Studies, and others. J K Dadoo, former Addl. Secretary & Financial Advisor, Department of Commerce, Govt. of India, was the key resource person at the workshop.

He said that the world of work had been changing at a mind-boggling pace and, therefore, underlined the need for all government institutions to keep changing their visions, strategies, procedures, and processes in order to measure up to the dynamic expectations of different stakeholders.

He stated that creative thinking, which is a precondition for innovations, is not the monopoly of a small group of employees with high intelligence. "Creative thinking can be learnt by one and all," he added.

Continuing his address, Dadoo said that the figures of extreme poor in India are estimated at 92 million and this calles for innovative interventions aimed at poverty eradication through large-scale improvements in health, sanitation, and rural development.

Dadoo called for joint efforts by government, corporate sector and other stakeholders to bring about broad-based innovations with a primary focus on rural areas. "Solar lights in each house, Wi-Fi in schools and chaupals, clean drinking water facility, sewage & sanitation, sports grounds, motorable roads, cottage & village industries, upgradation of schools, etc.

across the length and breadth of the country will be greatly instrumental in changing the very face of the rural India." In order to give a big boost to entrepreneurship in the rural areas, he underlined the need for such innovative interventions as capacity building, dissemination of information, handholding, etc.

The former top bureaucrat observed that India's performance in getting Olympic medals, despite a 1.2 billion population, has left much to be desired. "Focused intervention in terms of carefully searching and nurturing India's sports talent and allowing it to rise to its full potential, will result in getting as high as 70 medals in international events, especially, Olympics."

Dadoo said that his book, titled "100 Ideas to Improve Governance in India," will be of great help to policy-makers, employees at all levels of government institutions, corporate sector, trade bodies, etc. in initiating practical improvements in day-to-day governance.

B P Acharya, Spl. Chief Secretary & Director-General, Dr MCR HRD Institute, said that a number of government departments and public enterprises succeeded in successfully bringing about innovations in governance, despite multiple constraints and challenges associated with this exercise.

He called upon employees, across all wings of government, to proactively support the change champions, instead of discouraging and merely finding faults with them. "Innovations in governance should be a way of life and all government organisations should become innovation-friendly institutions," he added.