Country’s all-round development aligns fearless and corruption free India, says Gadkari

“It is the aim of all of us to work for comprehensive and all-round development of the country, that is fearless and corruption free. Nobody is born evil nor perfect. Police can play a key role in converting the incarcerated into contributors for the society’s welfare.”, said the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari delivered the 31st Intelligence Bureau (IB) Centenary Endowment Lecture yesterday. The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir was also present.

In his address, Gadkari mooted Performance Audit as a better alternative to Financial Audit to evaluate the managerial and administrative ability of officials. “Though transparency is equally important, but it must accompany time bound decision making and delivery.”, he said.

Commending the silent and tireless role of the Intelligence Bureau in making the country a secure and safe place, Gadkari said quoting the example of how solid and liquid waste has been recycled, fetching large cash returns for the Pune Municipal Corporation, the Minister said, “no one is a waste in society; the only thing is to realise and harness an individual’s potential.”

Speaking on the occasion, Director, IB Rajiv Jain said many important personalities have delivered the IB Endowment Lecture and this is the 31st Lecture in that series. Senior officers of IB and MHA were also present on the occasion.

He advocated Innovation and Modernization including IT tools and e-Tendering for making project implementation process transparent and efficient. Gadkari also touched upon the importance of Human Resource Management and drew distinction between what would constitute a bona fide and mala fide mistake.

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) completed 100 years of its existence in 1987 and celebrated 1988 as its Centenary Year. On December 23, 1887, the Central Special Branch was set up under orders issued in London by the Secretary of State for India. The Central Special Branch was renamed as the Criminal Intelligence Bureau and, thereafter, as the Intelligence Bureau.

The Centenary Endowment Lecture provides a wide cross section of Intelligence Bureau personnel an opportunity to hear intellectuals, leaders and thinkers on some contemporary issues. After the first lecture by Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, the Centenary Endowment Lecture was institutionalised and is being organised in the third or fourth week of December every year. Thirty one such Lectures have been delivered by eminent speakers on a wide range of issues related to India’s security, the development of the Indian polity and on the state of the nation.