PM tells ministers to prioritise focus areas

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked his ministers to list major priority areas once the restrictions imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked his ministers to list major priority areas once the restrictions imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic are lifted.

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He also said spoke for creating a graded plan to slowly open departments where hotspots aren’t existing.

Modi told his team that the present crisis also required that the country needs to lessen its dependence on other nations as he asked all departments to maintain an objective index on how their work will promote Make in India.

The prime minister addressed his ministers through video conference, which officials said was a first.

Modi asked the ministers to prepare a list of ten major decisions and ten priority areas of focus once lockdown ends exhorting them to identify and implement pending reforms.

Talking about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, he said the government must work on war-footing to mitigate the impact, adding that the ministries should prepare a ‘Business Continuity Plan’.

According to an official statement, Modi noted that a graded plan to slowly open departments where hotspots aren’t existing should be made, adding that the crisis offers an opportunity to become self-dependent in the medical sector. Highlighting the impact on India’s exports, he asked the Ministers to submit actionable suggestions on boosting manufacturing and exports and ensure that new sectors and countries are added in India’s export net.

He said the lockdown measures and social distancing must go hand in hand and added it is essential to strategise for the emergent conditions once the curbs end.

Addressing ministers, Modi said it is important that leaders communicate with the state and district administrations, especially in the areas that have emerged a the pandemic hotspots, to remain apprised about the ground situation. He said it is also important to ensure there is no crowding at Public Distribution System centres. Modi called for maintaining effective monitoring, taking action on complaints and preventing black marketing and a rise in prices of essentials.

Modi said the welfare of farmers is of high importance. He added the government would provide all possible help to farmers in the harvesting season. He suggested harnessing of technology and encouraging exploration of innovative solutions like using truck aggregators to connect farmers with mandis on the lines of app-based cab services. Modi underlined the need for devising a strategy to ensure the procurement of products from tribals so that the sources of income of the indigenous populace remain intact.

He stressed on the importance of monitoring continuously and ensuring that the benefits of PM Garib Kalyan Yojana keep reaching the intended beneficiaries. Modi said there should be continuous monitoring to maintain timelines of the production of essential medicines and protection equipment. ENDS