No cause to be on the back foot, showcase work: PM Modi to ministers

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 28

In the first meeting of the Council of Ministers in his third term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told colleagues and the entire senior bureaucracy that there was no need for anyone to be on the back foot about anything and everyone should aggressively project and defend their work.

The meeting that lasted for over six hours was attending by the entire Council of Ministers, Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, all secretaries of the Government of India and the entire senior leadership of the NITI Aayog.

“You have done a lot of hard work in these past 10 years. There is no cause for you to be on the back foot. You must strengthen the public projection of your work and flag it when someone raises questions. Going forward, we have to focus harder on the reform path over the next five years,” the PM told the gathering, especially Union Secretaries, whom he asked to be ready with quick responses should the need arise and remain in touch with the social media flow related to their segments to ensure misrepresentation doesn’t go unchecked and is installed refuted with facts.

The PM mentioned West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s letter to him demanding instant trial and fast track justice for victims of sexual assault and praised the fact that the Women and Child Development Ministry through minister Annapurna Devi quickly replied to Mamata clarifying that Bengal already had 124 fast-track courts many of which were dysfunctional.

The Tribune has learnt that the PM also directed all ministers to spend 36 hours each in the 112 aspirational districts and secretaries to spend a day each in these districts to further strengthen them.

The PM also asked each ministry to hold a two-day workshop with every state government and encourage competition between states on a range of deliverables.

NITI Aayog was asked to rank states on various indicators so that every state feels encouraged to improve.

The Tribune has also learnt that the meeting focused on the road ahead for the next five years of the government with the Cabinet Secretary making a detailed presentation on what was required to be accomplished in which sector.

Presentations were also made by secretary, road transport and highways and secretary, social justice.

The PM also praised the work of TV Somanathan and said in lighter vein that he lets people be and does not disturb them easily.

Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba recently exited after a third extension. Somanathan replaced Gauba in the hot seat.

At the meeting, Modi singled out the Finance Ministry for successful implementation of the ambitions “Jan Dhan account” agenda of the government, which seeks to link poor people with banking.

Hold workshop with every state govt

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi also asked each ministry to hold a two-day workshop with every state government and encourage competition between states on a range of deliverables.
• NITI Aayog was asked to rank states on various indicators so that every state feels encouraged to improve.