PM Narendra Modi tells his ministers to accelerate the implementation of reforms

NEW DELHI:With his term at about the halfway mark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to see visible change in the existing system of governance and has asked ministers and bureaucrats to accelerate the implementation of transformative reforms.

“You have spent 10,000 hours and mobilized the entire government machinery to prepare departmental action plans. Now speed up your ability to bring about the change,” he is cited as having told ministers and secretaries at a comprehensive review held on Friday.

Ministerial sources told ET that the Prime Minister wants to mobilize the bureaucracy for hastening implementation and bringing about structural reforms.

“The idea of pushing reforms through bureaucracy is being advocated by the PM because it is the bureaucrats in consultation with the ministers who have prepared a detailed action plan to be implemented till 2019 following the recommendation of the committee of secretaries on the priority areas of the government,” said one of those present at the four-hour meeting on Friday.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant made a comprehensive 110-page presentation on the achievements of various departments vis-à-vis the recommendation of the committee of secretaries on eight priority areas.

The NITI Aayog will keep monitoring implementation of departmental action plans with the help of a real-time dashboard as the government feels that this first-of-its kind exercise has led to structural reforms and rapid implementation at field level.

The Prime Minister had in January set up eight groups of secretaries for focused attention on areas like good governance, inclusive growth, employment generation, education and health, Swachh Bharat and energy efficiency.

This was a follow-up to Modi’s presentation to all secretaries on December 31 when he had them to “get cracking” on delivering results.