Addressing officer trainees of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), President Droupadi Murmu, on Wednesday, said that they must remember that their twin role is to facilitate compliance of tax laws by taxpayers and also contribute to overall credible deterrence against tax evasion.

Communication with taxpayers should be made more respectfully and the system should move towards voluntary compliance, she said.

The faceless assessment scheme of the government, she noted, was aimed at bringing more transparency in governance. She advised the officer trainees to acquaint themselves with the new faceless environment.

These officer trainees along with those from the Indian Police Service, Indian Postal Service, and the Indian Railway Accounts Service called on the president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today.

Addressing them, she said they have been selected for the positions carrying the highest responsibility. The governance system has huge confidence in their capabilities to implement policies of national significance and thereby shape the future of the people.

President Murmu said they were expected to follow a citizen-centric approach while taking decisions in their respective services. She advised them to be aware of their goals and actions. They should align their goals and aims with the broader goals of the nation.

The President said that this was the era of technology. There was immense scope for innovation in the field of administration and governance. The technology could be used to make governance more and more effective, speedy, transparent and people-oriented.

Speaking about the functions of the Indian Radio Regulatory Service, the president said this Service was very significant and has gained greater importance in recent years. The allocation of spectrum licenses, conducting spectrum auctions and providing necessary clearances were some of the major responsibilities of this service.

She said that in the digital environment, adequate access to spectrum was necessary for expanding telecommunication networks and addressing the rising demand for data services. She expressed confidence that officers of the Indian Radio Regulatory Service would bring in new ideas and technologies for making and implementing relevant policies.

She advised the officers to keep in mind the interests of the poorest of the poor. She said that as public policy was a tool for social justice, public servants were the agents of social change.