New Delhi: Emphasising on a fair, just and equitable system of governance, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Oct 13, 2004) asked secretaries to be proactive, responsive and "work without fear or favour".

In the first-ever address to 137 secretaries, Singh also called for innovative ideas and greater use of IT to improve efficiency of the Government departments.

"This is the first meeting of its kind. It was aimed at building confidence among bureaucrats... Next time there will be sector-wise meetings and interactions between the Prime Minister and secretaries," the Minister of State in PMO, Prithviraj Chavan told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister told the secretaries that they could approach him directly if they had any "grievances", Chavan said.