Ministries told to formulate new 100-day agenda
Close to its half-way mark, the UPA-II is looking at another agenda for its government to showcase its grand plans for India in the remaining three years.
Close to its half-way mark, the UPA-II is looking at another agenda for its government to showcase its grand plans for India in the remaining three years.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has asked key Central government ministries to work on a 100 day agenda, which could highlight new initiatives and will initiate measures to show effectiveness of the existing government schemes.
The direction from the PMO comes at the time when the government is fighting the issue of corruption in wake of demand for a strong Lokpal from Team Anna Hazare and after release of UPA government's report card to the people.
"We will continue working to remove inequities in our society, and for the uplift of those who are under-privilege. We will leave no stone unturned in our effort at providing clean and effective governance to the people," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said in his report to the people on May 14.Working on the PM's assertion in the report, the ministries have been asked to come out with definite plans that can be implemented in a short duration and can show effective results.
"We may have to re-orient some of the schemes to meet the new challenges. There have been irregularities in implementing of government schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and it needs to be revisited to plug the loopholes," said a senior government functionary.
The PM has also asked the ministries to get ready for reform in the Public Distribution System once the National Food Security Law gets enacted. The National Advisory Council on Wednesday submitted a final draft of the bill and the government is expected to discuss the final formulation at the next meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers.
The poor pace of infrastructure development is another key area which the PMO has highlighted. The officials expect the new 100 day agenda to be finalised after the Cabinet reshuffle.