Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called upon his council of ministers to get into their work with a 100-day plan, revealed Union Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, soon after the PM's meeting with the cabinet ministers.
Modi specifically asked the ministers to focus on efficient governance, delivery and implementation of government programs for the people's welfare, Naidu said.
The new PM emphasised that Union ministers should give priority to the issues brought by state governments, besides the appeals brought by Members of Parliament (MPs). Progress of states is very crucial for the country's development, Modi told his ministerial colleagues.
Naidu said that these directives and a 10-point priorities list were given by Modi to the ministers at the meeting. The 10-point visionary directives consists of increasing investment, completing infrastructure projects within the time-bound plan and utilising natural resources for the benefit of the country.
The Parliamentary Affairs minister also stated that Modi may soon address the nation to convey the same message. The Prime Minister's address is expected after a brief session of the Parliament from 4 June to 11.
President Pranab Mukherjee is set to address the Parliament session, by revealing the government's agenda.
According to Naidu, Modi asked the ministers to chalk out a timetable for the first 100 days, by listing out priorities to be achieved.
The most important aspects that the ministers have to focus on are efficient governance, delivery and implementation of schemes and programmes. Modi added that while focusing on these asepects, the government will also take forward the projects, programmes and issues pending from the previous government, on a priority basis.
To involve the Union ministers of state in the central government's work, the cabinet should allot proper work, so that they will feel they also involved fully in the department's work, Modi told the cabinet. By doing so, a new team of ministers can be built.
But the cabinet ministers will made responsible for their portfolio's works.
Thursday's cabinet meeting was the second one since Modi took over the office on 26 May. The PM told the ministers that he would be meeting them regularly, along with the Secretaries individually.
Naidu stressed that the price rise of essential commodities, agriculture and women security will naturally be a priority for the new government.
The PM wants to work with the state Chief Ministers in a true federal system, because Modi himself had worked as a CM (of Gujarat) for more than a decade, Naidu pointed out.
"The spirit of the message has been understood by all the ministers. But an MoS is an MoS. Try to understand. A Cabinet Minister is responsible. They have to segregate work... He cannot give total decision-making to an MoS. But certain work has to be given to the MoS so that they have satisfaction of having some role," he added.
Here are the Prime Minister's top 10 priorities:
1. Build confidence in bureaucracy
2. Welcome innovative ideas, and babus to be given freedom to work
3. Education, Health, Water, Energy & Roads will be priority
4. Transparency in the government, E-auction to be promoted
5. System will be placed for inter-ministerial issues
6. People-oriented system to be placed in the government machinery
7. Addressing concerns relating to economy
8. Infrastructure and investment reforms
9. Implement policy in a time-bound manner
10. Stability and sustain ability in government policy