Rajnath Singh calls upon AFHQ personnel to enhance their skills for efficient policy making, implementation of reforms

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called upon the personnel of the Armed Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) Civilian Services to continue enhancing their skills in today’s fast-changing times for efficient policy-making and implementation and execution of reforms being undertaken in the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

In his address at the 83rd AFHQ Civilian Services Day at DRDO Bhawan, he described civil services as the steel frame of governance.

Singh commended the dedication and hard work of the AFHQ personnel in taking forward the ongoing work, including efforts to attain Aatmanirbharta and contributing to the welfare of soldiers.

“You are an important link between the Armed Forces and the rest of the civilian government. There is a need to further strengthen your capabilities for enhanced efficiency,” he said.

The Defence Minister added that the three Services form a large part of the functioning of MoD and the AFHQ cadre ensures that the possibility of ‘group-think’, which results in poor decision-making, is negated in policy formulation.

“Unprecedented reforms have been undertaken in MoD in the last five years, and there has been tremendous progress in several areas. Our achievements have been recognised globally. This has happened due to teamwork. The Armed Forces and Civil Services should work together from Command Headquarters and Service Headquarters to the Ministry for better output. By including AFHQ Civil Services officers in key roles in MoD, the quality of decision-making will improve,” he added.

Rajnath Singh exhorted the personnel to pay attention to the core values of honesty, discipline and uniformity.

He was of the view that everyone deserves respect, irrespective of their position or rank, emphasising that ego must be shed and the personnel must work as a team. He called for learning from one another, which makes even hard work easy to accomplish.