Centre suggests ‘idea box’ for officers

New Delhi: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising on improving governance by using same set of officials in ministries and departments, the government has issued a set of guidelines to boost morale and efficiency of its lower bureaucracy.

The guidelines include instituting certificate of excellence by declaring one as “employee of the month”, appointing mentor for new entrants, installation of idea boxes for soliciting “out of the box” solution to various issues confronting the department, giving lower bureaucracy opportunity to interact with ministers of state.

Enumerating a set of nine suggestions, the department of personnel & training (DoPT) in its order, a copy of which is with this newspaper, asked ministries and departments to adopt them as “tools to motivate the industrious employees”.

Putting in place a new scheme in each of the departments, the DoPT in its order asked them to initiate “a new non-monetary incentive in the form of an award” by recognising meritorious employees with monthly “certificate of excellence”.

This award should be given to employees of the level of under-secretary and below. It has also asked the departments that for the purpose of monitoring each of the newcomers with a view to sensitise the incumbent about the technical matters pertaining to Parliament and courts, a mentoring system should be put in place and such mentors should be officers two levels above the incumbents. The departments have been asked to install “idea boxes” on office premises.