New Delhi, April 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said though political interference was undesirable, political intervention was necessary to ensure people-friendly governance in a democracy.

Addressing civil servants on the occasion of Civil Services Day here, Modi urged them to end their "silo approach" and work as a team.

Modi called upon civil servants to maintain a positive outlook, convert adversity into opportunity and strive towards perfection.

Recalling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's vision of the civil services of independent India, he said, socio-economic integration should also be an objective of the civil services.

The prime minister said national unity today implied an end to the digital divide, urban-rural divide and all forms of socio-economic inequity.

Modi said the entire administrative machinery should gear up to serve the needs of the society.

He referred to a Goldman-Sachs report which said it will take India a decade to reach the Asian average on government effectiveness.

"Sheelam Param Bhushanam (character is the highest virtue)," Modi said, urging the civil servants to maintain a positive outlook and spend quality time with their family as well.

"Your life should not become a file," the prime minister said.

Modi, who conferred 'Awards for Excellence in Public Administration' for 2012-13 and 2013-14, said the civil services required capacity-building to be able to better serve the people as the Indian economy moves from "scarcity" to "plenty".

Referring to good governance, the prime minister said it requires the "ART of Accountability, Responsibility and Transparency".

He urged senior civil servants to spend time in motivating youth to join the civil services so that the best talent was available to the government.

Modi said the best practices should be adopted, and urged civil service personnel to develop an institutional memory.

A book titled "Best Practices - Tomorrow is Here" was also released on the occasion.