Modi Govt's governance reforms included scrapping of nearly 2,000 obsolete rules, says Jitendra Singh

New Delhi [India], December 24 (ANI): Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government reforms included scrapping nearly 2,000 obsolete rules that had lost relevance with the passage of time and were, in fact, proving detrimental to ease of working and timely disposal.

On the eve of Good Governance Day, which also marks the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Jitendra Singh outlined key achievements and governance reforms brought about under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, according to an official release by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

Addressing an engaged audience, Jitendra Singh emphasized the government's commitment to transparency, innovation, and people-centric policies that have redefined the meaning of governance in India, the release stated.

The Minister highlighted the concerted efforts to eliminate redundant laws, stating, "Nearly 2000 outdated rules and regulations have been scrapped to simplify governance and make it more citizen-friendly."Jitendra Singh recalled that within a few months of Modi taking over as Prime Minister in May 2014, the DoPT (Department of PersonnelTraining) scrapped the feudalistic rule which was a rather dubious legacy of the British empire and allowed the youth the freedom of self-attestation instead of requiring a gazetted officer to attest the documents. This sent out a message across the country that now there was a government in place which had the capacity to trust the youth of the country, he said.

Soon thereafter, in his Independence Day address, Jitendra Singh recalled that Prime Minister Modi gave a call for abolishing interviews in recruitment to lower posts in order to ensure transparency and the DoPT followed it up by issuing a circular to this effect in 2016. Similarly, a number of reforms have been introduced to simplify the Pension rules, particularly those pertaining to elder citizens and family pension rules for divorced daughters, he added.

Among the most notable initiatives was the integration of cleanliness into governance, turning what might have been dismissed as an administrative detail into a national movement. "Cleanliness is now a hallmark of governance practices", Jitendra Singh said, recalling how the cleanliness drive began with building toilets and evolved into cleaning up government spaces and workplaces, the release stated.

The Minister revealed that through efficient management of scrap material and obsolete equipment, the government had reclaimed over 643 lakh square feet of office space and earned Rs2,364 crore for the national exchequer. "The transformation is visible in government offices that were once cluttered and now serve as models of cleanliness and efficiency," he added.

Jitendra Singh attributed these changes to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who he described as a "visionary unifier."Shifting focus to broader national issues, the Minister said that under Modi's leadership, PM's frequent visits, infrastructure development, and socio-economic programs transformed the north east region into what the Minister called "a model of development." Citing significant strides in connectivity, he said, "Under Modi ji's leadership, the North East now enjoys unparalleled connectivity. (ANI)