Hitting hardly on the colonial legacy and hinting clearly at his resolve to shake up the bureaucracy Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that young Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers should go to people, and change the legacy of colonialism. He was addressing the 'combined foundation course' comprising 400 young officers from various services including IAS officers in the 'tent city' of Kewadia in Gujarat. “We don’t expect status quo from you. Everyone is working to build new India, but our responsibility is more," PM said. “The presence of silos and hierarchy does not help our system. Whoever we are, wherever we are, we have to work together for the nation."

While addressing a programme at the Statue of Unity attended by IAS officers among others, he underlined that civil servants should make efforts to change the perception of bureaucracy by working as a comprehensive team in the best interest of an aspirational country.

He said “Let’s change how we look at things. Earlier, people would keep saying backward districts...now we say aspirational districts. Why should any posting be a punishment posting? Why not see it as an opportunity posting?"

PM added that “as service providers, it is our duty to increase the ease of living. People should not struggle with the government on a daily basis, and the poor should not suffer."