Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and MoS in the PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has called for continued efforts to make government service rules more responsive to the needs of employees and their families.
Speaking at the launch of ‘CSS Shield’, a mutual support initiative of the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) Forum, the Minister said collective efforts to assist families facing sudden loss can strengthen the sense of solidarity within government services.
Support for Bereaved Families
Dr. Jitendra Singh welcomed the initiative and said its implementation does not require complicated mechanisms. According to him, the key requirement is the willingness of colleagues to contribute and stand together during difficult circumstances.
He said that when members of a service community come forward as one family to support the relatives of a deceased colleague, the gesture carries significance well beyond financial assistance. It reflects a culture of compassion, dignity and institutional solidarity.
The event was attended by office-bearers and members of the CSS Forum, serving CSS officers, colleagues and family members of late Shri Mohan Chandra Bhatt and late Shri Rajendra Chandra. As part of the launch, Dr. Jitendra Singh handed over financial assistance to the families of the two deceased officers.
Focus on Responsive Government Systems
The Minister said the CSS Shield initiative is aligned with the broader approach of the Personnel Ministry towards making government service systems more sensitive to the changing requirements of employees and their families.
He noted that several service provisions have been amended in recent years to address contemporary needs. He added that the Government would continue to examine existing rules and introduce changes wherever necessary to improve their effectiveness and responsiveness.
Referring to the approach encouraged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said government departments are encouraged to regularly review procedures and make corrections wherever existing arrangements can be improved.
The Minister emphasised that government systems should not remain static but should evolve in accordance with the practical needs of employees and their families.
Scholarships for Children Suggested
Dr. Jitendra Singh also suggested expanding the scope of CSS Shield as its membership and financial corpus grow. He proposed that the initiative could consider providing scholarships to the children of deceased CSS officers.
Such a provision, he said, could help families receive continued support even after the immediate financial assistance following the loss of a family member.
₹1.30 Crore Assistance Since 2020
The CSS Shield initiative has been built around the guiding principle “Contribute for Family, Support with Dignity.” It aims to establish a structured mechanism for providing financial assistance to families of deceased CSS officers.
Representatives of the CSS Forum said that members had already been voluntarily supporting bereaved families before the formal creation of CSS Shield. The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which several CSS officers lost their lives, highlighted the importance of creating a more organised system of mutual assistance.
Since 2020, CSS officers have collectively contributed approximately ₹1.30 crore to support the families of around 65–70 deceased officers, according to the Forum.
The newly formalised initiative seeks to make this assistance more consistent and predictable. Under CSS Shield, the Forum aims to provide at least ₹15 lakh to each bereaved family. The assistance is expected to increase gradually as more members participate and the corpus expands.
With around 13,000 members of the Central Secretariat Service, the Forum believes the initiative can develop into a significantly larger support mechanism in the coming years.
Tribute to Former CSS Officers
The launch event also remembered the contributions of late Shri Mohan Chandra Bhatt and late Shri Rajendra Chandra. Shri Bhatt served in various capacities in the Central Secretariat Service and other government organisations, while Shri Rajendra Chandra worked for nearly two decades in the Administration Division of the Department of Revenue.
The launch of CSS Shield highlighted the CSS Forum’s commitment to strengthening mutual support within the service community. The initiative seeks to ensure that employees and their families do not face difficult times alone, reinforcing the message of “Together We Serve, Together We Support.”
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Author: Shivam
Shivam Dwivedi is a senior journalist with extensive experience in research-driven journalism, policy communication, and multi-platform storytelling. His areas of interest include international relations, defence, science & technology, education, urban development, agriculture, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on in-depth analysis, public discourse, and impactful narratives across governance and development sectors, with a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Contact: [email protected]
