‘Civil services should receive credit for peaceful power transfer in India.’

• Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan emphasizes the smooth power transfer in India, credited to All India Services (AIS) and civil services officials.

• He emphasizes the duty of civil services to preserve constitutional order, democracy, rule of law, national unity, and federal structure.

• He advocates for political neutrality among civil servants, stating they serve not only those belonging to a particular party or community.

• Somanathan emphasizes the need for greater competence and subject matter expertise among civil servants.

• He criticizes the lack of transparency in the Annual Performance Assessment Report system for AIS officers, stating that it has become useless.

• He also addresses the low salary structure in the service, stating that pay is not part of the discussion.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasizes the need for modern bureaucracy and policymaking.