‘Ease of living’ is the new motto that has come from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, June 10, evening for the second term of the Government led by him. He rolled this out like a virtual mantra along with a few other tips and advices in his first interaction with Secretaries drawn from all Central Ministries and Departments at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

 

The interaction that lasted for over an hour or so took place in the presence of some of the main colleagues of the dispensation led by the PM like Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sithraman and Dr Jitendra Singh.

 

Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha initiated the discussion where peers heading Ministries were told by Sinha about two important tasks that would be placed before Sectoral Groups of Secretaries. These tasks are (a) A five year plan document for each Ministry, with well-defined targets and milestones. (b) A significant impactful decision in each Ministry, for which approvals will be taken within 100 days.

 

The last of the two reminds of an earlier Government move initiated before the polls were over to call upon Ministries to prepare a plan for the first hundred days of the Government that was widely believed to be returned to power by the electorate.

 

During the interaction a few Secretaries shared their vision and ideas on subjects such as administrative decision-making, agriculture, rural sector’s development, Panchayati Raj, IT initiatives, education reform, healthcare, industrial policy, economic growth and skill development.

 

The Prime Minister recalled his first interaction with the Secretaries, in June 2014. He said the recent General Elections, have been marked by pro-incumbency. He gave credit for this to the entire team of officials that worked hard, conceived schemes, and delivered excellent results on the ground, over the last five years. PM said the Elections this time have been marked by a positive vote, signifying trust of the common man based on his day-to-day experiences.

 

The Prime Minister said that the Indian voter has outlined a vision for the next five years. He called this to be an opportunity instead of being a challenge. He said the mandate reflects the will and aspirations of the people to change the status quo and seek a better life.

 

Speaking of the demographic dividend, the Prime Minister said it is essential that the demographics be utilised efficiently. Every department of the Union Government and every district of each State have a role to play in making India a 5 trillion dollar economy. He spoke about the importance of the "Make in India" initiative and the need to make tangible progress towards it.

 

The Prime Minister said that India's progress in "Ease of Doing Business", should reflect in greater facilitation for small businesses and entrepreneurs. He said each Ministry of the Government should focus on "Ease of Living."

 

The Prime Minister said water, fisheries, and animal husbandry, had to be important areas for the Government.

 

He lauded Secretaries for their vision, commitment and energy to take the country forward. He urged those present to use technology to improve outcomes and efficiency in each department.

 

Modi observed that all departments must seek to leverage and be geared up to the upcoming milestone of 75 years of independence in 2022. This could inspire people to make a contribution for the betterment of the country. He urged everyone to hit the ground running, to fulfil the aspirations of the people.