Pragati: PM Modi takes stock

The first-of-its-kind interaction, named Pragati, or Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, is a new initiative of the Modi government to bring the Centre and states together to review and monitor important projects and programmes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first video-interaction with senior bureaucrats of central and state governments, in a new exercise that would be repeated every month, resulted in discussions on a variety of issues, with both the Centre and the states promising full cooperation in ensuring timely implementation of programmes of national importance.

The first-of-its-kind interaction, named Pragati, or Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, is a new initiative of the Modi government to bring the Centre and states together to review and monitor important projects and programmes.

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, toilets in schools, impact of the recent unseasonal rain, and status of key infrastructure and industrial projects, were some common issues that were discussed with a number of states. Environment and other central clearances and financial support to projects also came up repeatedly.

Six central government projects involving more than a dozen Union ministries and thirteen States were discussed during which it became known that a number of actions and permissions had been pending for several years.

Modi himself sought specific information as well, for example, on the status of Navi Mumbai airport project in Maharashtra and the Ganga rail-road bridge in Patna. He asked several states about the ease of doing business there.

During the two-hour interaction, the states, in turn, raised issues on which they needed attention from the Centre. Uttar Pradesh, for example, took up the issue of construction of the Rae-Bareli-Allahabad road and make it four lane.

Source:: Indian Express