PM Modi. | PTI File Photo
NEW DELHI: Both men flashed a smile and seemed at ease last week while flanking NDA President nominee Ram Nath Kovind at Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah’s image exudes confidence against a dithering Opposition. Around the same time, barely 100 metres away, the government departments at North Block, South Block and Central Secretariat were witnessing a flurry of activities. Top babus were discussing the communication received from the PMO. The government has asked the ministries to prepare specific programmes and goals for 2022 that interestingly coincides with the 75th years of India’s Independence.
“In 2022, we will commemorate 75 years of Independence. Each department should work out specific goals regarding what they would achieve,” the letter reviewed by The Sunday Standard said.
A top government official said the current regime’s hold on power beyond 2019 seems to be a foregone conclusion and a series of recent directives issued by the government suggests they are preparing to escalate the offensive built on performance in 2024 election with vital programmes such as housing for all, rural road construction, sanitation coverage and increasing the numbers of insured farmers.
Each department has been told to work as laboratory for progress, employment generation and revival of the stagnated income of lower socio-economic groups. “We have just finalised a presentation documenting the last three years of achievement. Another presentation detailing the effectiveness of bureaucracy and file movement has been prepared,” he added.
A top government official said that a plan till 2019 has been made. “Now, we are going beyond the next election year to make sure the system is geared up to deliver,” he said.
It is learnt that bureaucrats have also been asked to prepare action taken report on PMO’s directives issued in the last three years with the current status. A note was also received last week to examine the proposals of the Cabinet Secretariat that has been sent to strategise new schemes and get this done since June 2014.
“The major worries confronting the government are slow pace of implementation and the issue was raised during a recent cabinet meeting. Over 300 projects were flagged during the meeting which requires massive push from system to be up and running by end of this year,” a secretary-level officer said, further adding that the PMO has set its sight for major push in fertilisers production, coal production and up gradation of national highways by the authorities.
As far as power and oil production is concerned, the recent Cabinet meeting was briefed that these two sectors have in fact exceeded the target set by the government.
“The ministries and concerned departments, including PSUs, have been told to update the growth data and they must ensure that even international bodies have the latest data on Indian growth story,” the officer said.
