NCGG starts training 41 civil servants from Sri Lanka

New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) has started training 41 civil servants from Sri Lanka to help them gain insights into India's transformative policies such as right to service, housing for all and leveraging digital technology among others, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

The third capacity building programme for senior civil servants of Sri Lanka organised by the NCGG from May 13 to 24 at Mussoorie, it said.

The programme is being attended by 41 senior civil servant officers from Sri Lanka from the PM Office, Presidential Secretariat, Department of National Police Commission, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, National Audit Office, Department of IT management and Ministry of Finance among others, the statement said.

The NCGG, an autonomous institution under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), is mandated to work in areas of public policy, governance, reforms and capacity building.

NCGG's efforts align with the Indian philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ i.e. “The world is one Family” and emphasises strengthening bilateral ties and fostering cooperation with other countries, said the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry.

V Srinivas, Director General of the NCGG and Secretary of the DARPG, inaugurated the session and highlighted the significant milestone achieved with the participation of fourteen senior civil servant officers from Sri Lanka in the first capacity building programme led by Secretary to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Anura Dissanayake.

In his address, Srinivas emphasised the commonalities between India and Sri Lanka in governance practices and the potential for mutual learning.

He emphasised on fostering closer ties between the government and its citizens.

"Central to this vision is the concept of 'maximum governance, minimum government,' emphasising digitally-driven governance with a citizen-centric approach," the statement said.

The programme delves into specific policy areas such as Skill Development, Agriculture, Disaster Management, and healthcare initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana.

Participants will gain insights into transformative policies such as right to service, housing for all and the Digital India initiative, it said.

Moreover, the programme offered sessions on planning eco-friendly smart cities, Aadhaar as a tool for good governance, and gender and development, among others, the statement said.

"Emotional intelligence, land record management and national security were also explored in detail. Additionally, sessions on election management in India and Indo-Sri Lanka relations enriched participants' understanding of strategic governance areas," it added.

The programme also features immersive field visits to prestigious institutions including the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) and the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, providing practical exposure to governance mechanisms, the statement said.

The NCGG in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has imparted training to civil servants of 17 countries, viz. Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Seychelles, Gambia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Cambodia, it said. PTI AKV NB