Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to more than one crore civil servants across the country, urging them to place citizens at the centre of every decision and adopt the guiding principle of “Nagrik Devo Bhava” — the idea that the citizen is paramount in public service.
In his message, sent ahead of Civil Services Day, the Prime Minister stressed that governance should not be limited to administrative efficiency but must be rooted in compassion and sensitivity towards people’s needs. He reminded officials that public service carries a responsibility to act with empathy while delivering policies and programmes.
Modi also highlighted the importance of continuous learning, noting that civil servants must lead by example and remain open to new ideas and evolving knowledge systems. According to him, adapting to change and improving skills are essential for effective governance in a rapidly transforming society.
The letters, dated April 20, were issued in 12 languages — including Hindi, English, Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali — to ensure they reach officials across ministries, departments, states and Union Territories.
The outreach is seen as part of a broader effort to reinforce citizen-centric governance and encourage accountability within the administrative system.
