Governance Is a Moral Contract: At the 24th edition of Reimagining Governance: Discourse for Excellence (RGDE), Dr Shashi Tharoor delivered a compelling keynote, calling on public institutions to reimagine governance as a moral responsibility rooted in dignity, trust and courage. The session marked the second anniversary and conclusion of Season One of RGDE—an institutional dialogue platform of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)—hosted under the aegis of the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS). The gathering brought together members of the Central Board of Trustees, EPFO officers from across the country, and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Governance Beyond Compliance
Dr Tharoor framed governance as “a moral contract between the State and its people,” arguing that transparency, accountability, participation and the rule of law must coexist with efficiency and empathy. He cautioned against equating digitisation with genuine reform, remarking, “We must not merely digitise inefficiency; we must redesign it,” and called for sustained Government Process Re-engineering and simplification of procedures.
He highlighted a persistent paradox in modern administration: despite advanced digital capabilities, citizens are often repeatedly asked to prove identity and eligibility. Governance, he said, must evolve toward integrated, seamless service delivery that spares citizens avoidable procedural hardship.
Dignity, Empathy and Scientific Temperament
Emphasising the role of grievance redressal, Dr Tharoor noted that such systems are not favour-granting platforms but instruments of democratic respect. Public service delivery, he said, should be anchored in dignity, empathy and institutional trust.
He also underscored the importance of a scientific temperament in governance—advocating evidence-based policy, data-driven review and reasoned judgment—while warning that knowledge without ethics risks distancing institutions from the people they serve. His concluding thought struck a resonant chord: “When governance becomes truly just, citizens cease to feel governed; they begin to feel cared for.”
From Ideas to Action: RGDE’s Institutional Impact
Launched on Good Governance Day in December 2024, RGDE was conceived as a reflective forum to look beyond routine compliance. Over two years, its conversations have translated into tangible outcomes within EPFO, including:
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A “Compassion in Governance” module inspired by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi
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Process simplification initiatives drawing from public policy discussions
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Strengthened ethics training
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A forthcoming joint diploma programme in Labour Law and Social Security in collaboration with Gujarat National Law University
Central Provident Fund Commissioner Ramesh Krishnamurthy reaffirmed EPFO’s commitment to citizen-centric and technology-enabled service delivery, while Kumar Rohit, Director PDUNASS, highlighted how RGDE has strengthened ethical capacity and reflective leadership within the organisation.
A Lighter Moment—and a Deeper Point on AI
The session concluded with an interactive exchange moderated by Uttam Prakash, Regional PF Commissioner and curator of RGDE. When asked whether Artificial Intelligence might one day replace politicians, Dr Tharoor quipped that while AI can process data and analyse trends, it cannot replicate human judgment, moral choice or democratic accountability—a reminder that technology must remain a tool, not a substitute, for responsible governance.
Looking Ahead: Season Two
With the anniversary session, RGDE formally concluded Season One. Season Two is expected to return with a renewed design and deeper engagement, continuing the effort to build governance that is accountable, technologically capable and fundamentally humane.
Conclusion: Governance Is a Moral Contract
Dr Shashi Tharoor’s address reframed governance not as a checklist of compliance but as a values-driven compact between the State and its citizens. By urging institutions to pair technology with empathy and efficiency with ethics, the RGDE anniversary session reaffirmed a clear message: the future of governance lies not just in smarter systems, but in more humane ones.
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Source: PIB
