'India's growth story must be inclusive': President Ram Nath Kovind addresses civil servants at Rashtrapati Bhavan

New Delhi: The Central government services offer an “enormous platform” to serve the nation and it is essential for officials to make the country’s growth inclusive, President Ramnath Kovind Wednesday told a group of probationary officers from various civil services. The President made the remark while addressing trainee officers of Indian Defence Estates Service, Indian Telecommunication Service and P and T (Post and Telegraph) Building Works Service, who called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. [caption id=“attachment_3723805” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of President Ram Nath Kovind. PTI[/caption] Kovind told the officers on probation that their respective services provide them an “enormous platform for serving the nation.” “You will be responsible for managing important projects in different domains and serve crucial sectors such as Defence and Telecommunications,” the President said. “Few jobs offer a chance to work in an office where everything that they do, can be an act of service to the nation,” he said. Talking about telecommunications, Kovind said India has the world’s second largest telecom network as per the total number of users. “The telecom sector has witnessed rapid growth especially in the wireless segment and is today regarded as basic infrastructure just like electricity, roads, and water. This sector is a critical component for achieving rapid economic progress and socio economic development, (sic)” he said. Therefore, Indian Telecommunication Service officers have an important role to play as we seek to connect the unconnected especially in our rural and remote areas. “This is essential to make our growth inclusive. It is Indian Telecommunication Service officers’ responsibility to ensure that we have in place an enabling policy paradigm and a conducive licensing and regulatory framework,” he said. Kovind said the job of P and T Building Works service officers is equally important as they have to ensure quality and efficiency in construction and maintenance of office and residential complexes, electrical and architectural works both in Department of Telecommunication and Department of Posts. Talking to the Defence Estate Officers, the President said they have to carry out all these functions along with the reality of rapid urbanisation in the country. Cantonments which used to be separate enclaves before independence have also become part of the urban landscape in many states and hence are not immune to the infrastructure related problems in our cities. “They will have to deal with this reality and manage situations that may emerge,” he said.