Senior Civil Servants from Sri Lanka Engage in Capacity Building Program at NCGG, India

Mussoorie: The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, Government of India, commenced its 3rd capacity building program for senior civil servants of Sri Lanka today. The program, scheduled from May 13th to May 24th, 2024, aims to empower 41 senior civil servant officers from Sri Lanka with insights into Indian governance practices and policies.

The participants, comprising Assistant Divisional Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Directors, Senior Assistant Secretaries, and Assistant Directors from various Sri Lankan governmental bodies including the PM Office, Presidential Secretariat, and Department of National Police Commission, among others, have gathered in Mussoorie for this transformative learning experience.

Inaugurating the session, V. Srinivas, Director General of NCGG and Secretary of the Department of Administration Reform and Public Grievances (DARPG), emphasized the collaborative spirit between India and Sri Lanka in governance practices. Srinivas highlighted the shared values and the potential for mutual learning, emphasizing the importance of citizen-centric governance encapsulated in the philosophy of “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government.”

Dr. AP Singh, Associate Professor and Course Coordinator, provided an overview of NCGG’s operational framework and outlined the program’s objectives. Designed to facilitate cross-country knowledge exchange, the program covers a wide array of topics including All India Services, Constitutional Foundations of Policy Making, and Decentralization in India. Sessions also delve into transformative policies such as Skill Development, Disaster Management, and Healthcare initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana.

Field visits to prestigious institutions including the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) and the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun offer practical exposure to governance mechanisms. Immersive visits to the Cyber Security Cell in Noida and the National Institute of Solar Energy provide insights into cutting-edge technologies shaping governance practices.

The program underscores NCGG’s commitment to fostering bilateral ties and sharing best practices in governance. In collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs, NCGG has previously trained civil servants from 17 countries, including Bangladesh, Kenya, and Vietnam. Dr. A.P Singh and Dr. M.K Bhandari, along with Shri Sanjay Dutt Pant, are supervising the program, ensuring a rich and immersive learning experience for all participants.

As the program unfolds over the next two weeks, senior civil servants from Sri Lanka are poised to gain invaluable insights into Indian governance practices, paving the way for enhanced collaboration and cooperation between the two nations.