The objective of the Roundtable Conference was `to provide an international perspective on current good practice and new developments in public service management'. Accordingly, the following subject areas were covered: international perspectives; the Asian perspective; administrative reform to meet the challenge of economic reform; restructuring governmentÐpolitical/administrative interface; improving service quality and delivery; and managing changeÐissues impinging on reform.
Mr V. K. Shunglu, Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, who delivered the Keynote Address, characterized the present-day Indian public services as amorphous', where the system of reward and punishment is in doubt. Transparency was in question and accountability at a discount'. He focused the attention of participants on three major issues that ought to be taken into account in designing a changed public service: (i) adoption of information technology based on electronic maintenance and processing data; (ii) skill development; and (iii) merit recognition and merit-based carrier advancement. These areas became the core of the session chaired by the author, where initiatives to improve service quality through public feedback, partnership with the private sector and NGOs and application of information technology in moving towards electronic government were emphasized. The objective of the discussion was to ®nd ways and means of ®nding our way towards a paper-less oce', as most (private sector) corporate organizations in developed and some developing countries have already done. The author could not help but re¯ect on his own paper-full' Cabinet Oce. A computerization programme has now been taken in hand to store and retrieve Cabinet material easily, on the instructions of HE the President.