Agreement with the Statement

1. Focus on Public Welfare

• Public Welfare Priority: When formulating public policies, civil servants must prioritize public welfare to ensure that the policies address the needs and aspirations of the populace. For instance, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was designed to enhance financial inclusion by providing banking services to the unbanked population. This focus on welfare aimed at improving economic stability and access to financial services for all, especially marginalized communities.
• Equitable Development: Policies should be formulated to address social inequalities and promote inclusive growth. For example, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme focuses on providing healthcare coverage to economically disadvantaged families, thereby promoting equitable access to healthcare services.

2. Foresight to Infer Unexpected Consequences

• Risk Assessment: Implementing policies requires foresight to anticipate potential unintended consequences and mitigate risks. The demonetization policy of 2016, while aimed at curbing black money, had significant short-term disruptions in the economy, affecting small businesses and daily wage workers. A more detailed impact assessment could have minimized these adverse effects.
• Adaptive Strategies: Civil servants should design adaptive strategies to handle unforeseen outcomes. For example, the COVID-19 vaccination drive required real-time adjustments and supply chain management to address challenges such as vaccine hesitancy and logistical issues.

In summary, public welfare must be the central focus in policy formulation, while foresight and risk management are essential to address and adapt to unforeseen consequences during implementation.

Major Principles of Public Life

1. Integrity

• Definition: Integrity involves honesty, truthfulness, and consistency in actions.
• Example: Satyendra Dubey, an engineer in the National Highways Authority of India, demonstrated integrity by exposing corruption in highway projects. His actions led to increased awareness and reforms in how corruption is tackled in public projects.

2. Accountability

• Definition: Accountability means being responsible for one’s actions and decisions, and being answerable to the public.
• Example: The Right to Information (RTI) Act empowers citizens to seek information from public authorities, ensuring that officials are accountable for their decisions and actions.

3. Transparency

• Definition: Transparency refers to the openness and clarity in government processes and decision-making.
• Example: The e-NAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market) platform was introduced to make agricultural trading transparent by providing real-time information on prices and transactions, reducing corruption and inefficiencies in the market.

4. Fairness

• Definition: Fairness involves impartiality and equitable treatment of all individuals.
• Example: The Supreme Court’s order on the decriminalization of same-sex relationships in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India reflected fairness by upholding the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and ensuring equal treatment under the law.

5. Responsibility

• Definition: Responsibility entails fulfilling duties and obligations with diligence.
• Example: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the proactive measures taken by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to manage health crises and provide support to vulnerable populations exemplified the principle of responsibility in public service.

In summary, integrity, accountability, transparency, fairness, and responsibility are crucial principles of public life, as demonstrated by recent examples of ethical conduct and reforms in governance.