Govt launches scheme to tap officials' creativity

Delhi once again follows Gujarat! The BJP-led NDA government is launching a new programme to tap “creativity and enthusiasm” of officers on the lines of a Gujarat government scheme initiated by Narendra Modi when he was the chief minister.

The new initiative allows officials to “design and implement” projects close to their heart that would give them a sense of self-satisfaction and achievement. The officials need not take prior permission or approval for such work but has to only ensure that the “routine and mandated” job is not affected.

Modelled on the “Swantah Sukhaya” (One’s Happiness) scheme launched in Gujarat in 2003, the proposed scheme seeks to “identify, recognise, facilitate, motivate, replicate and disseminate” meaningful interventions in delivery of citizen-centric services by tapping the “energy and passion” of officials. The scheme was launched when Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has now asked ministries to suggest a name for the scheme, which is “successfully practised” in Gujarat for the past ten years. “The initiatives are meant to provide internal happiness and sense of achievement,” it said.

The rationale behind the scheme is to clear a “major restriction” on many officers who have trouble in pursuing their passion while at government work due to “little opportunity to work in areas of their interest”. “The government is trying to meet the challenges of fulfilling diverse needs and expectations of a large number of people.

However, due to structure of administration, limited freedom is available to its employees to initiate programmes or projects based on their own ideas, concepts and capabilities,” the DoPT said in its concept note.

It believes that the new initiative would give autonomy to employees to make use of their “initiative, enthusiasm, energy and innovation as well as their knowledge, understanding and insights” of ground level reality to take up assignments and schemes.