PM Narendra Modi asks ministers to prepare agenda on reforms

New Delhi, Feb 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid out an ambitious agenda for reforms and asked his Cabinet colleagues to prepare a detailed note about the initiatives to be taken in their respective ministries in the coming years.

The exercise is part of the Modi government’s renewed thrust on simplifying processes, improve ease of doing business and expanding technology-led governance under its ‘Reform Express’ agenda, official sources said.

The ministers were told to prepare the note themselves so that they can present it in the meeting of the Union Cabinet and brief about various activities of the respective ministries and the reform outlook.

It is learnt that the Cabinet Secretariat has circulated a specific form, laying out the format in which each ministry will write its future reform initiatives as well as achievements of the last few years.

The ministers will have to clearly convey the key points of the reform of their respective ministries, when it was implemented or when it could be laid out and what the results are expected from them.

The prime minister has made it clear that every ministry must immediately focus on its reform priorities so that its results could be seen on the ground, the sources said, adding the entire exercise is part of the government’s broad roadmap of making the country developed by 2047.

In an interview with PTI last fortnight, the prime minister had said his government’s ‘Reform Express’ is benefitting common citizens in a big way and his top three reform priorities for the next decade will be continued structural reforms, deepening innovation and further simplification of governance.

Asked to prioritise three economic reforms for the next decade, Modi said, “Our direction is clear, rather than limiting it to a fixed number.”

“First, we will continue structural reforms that improve competitiveness and productivity. Second, we will deepen innovation in technology, manufacturing and services. Third, we will simplify governance further so that citizens and businesses can operate with greater ease and trust,” he said.

Addressing a post-Budget webinar on ‘Technology, Reforms and Finance for Viksit Bharat’ on Friday, the prime minister said when government, industry and knowledge partners come together, “reforms translate into results”, and “announcements on paper turn into achievements on the ground”.