Bureaucrats to prepare five-year plans

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked top bureaucrats to prepare a five-year plan for each ministry with well-defined targets and milestones in sync with the people’s mandate in the election to change the status quo and improve quality of life, officials said.

In a meeting with secretaries of all ministries, the Prime Minister said each ministry should come out with an “impactful decision” for which approvals will have to be taken within 100 days, they said.

The PM said people were yearning for a better life and the government must focus on ensuring ease of living, and asked the officials to begin work on making India a five-trillion dollar economy. “Modi said that the huge expectations of the people should not be viewed as a challenge, but an opportunity. He said the mandate reflects the will and aspirations of the people to change the status quo, and seek a better life for themselves,” a government statement said.

“The PM said that the Indian voter has outlined a vision for the next five years, and this is now an opportunity before us,” it added. 

Speaking about the demographic dividend, Modi said it was essential that the demographics be utilised efficiently. He said every department of the Union government, and every district of each state has a role to play in making India a five-trillion dollar economy, the statement said. The PM touched upon the importance of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, and the need to make tangible progress towards this end.

The meeting was also attended by Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and Jitendra Singh.

Modi also said that India’s progress in ease of doing business should reflect in greater facilitation for small businesses and entrepreneurs, adding each ministry should focus on it.

“The PM said water, fisheries, and animal husbandry, will also be important areas for the government,” the statement said. He said that during the interaction, he has seen that secretaries have vision, commitment and energy to take the country forward.

During the interaction, secretaries shared their vision and ideas on subjects such as administrative decision-making, agriculture, rural development and Panchayati Raj, IT initiatives, education reform, healthcare, industrial policy and economic growth, the statement added.