Visit aspirational dists, spend at least 24 hrs: PM Modi to ministers
PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi Wednesday asked all ministers to visit aspirational districts and blocks and spend at least 24 hours there, The Indian Express has learnt.
This was conveyed during the meeting of the Union Council of Ministers, the first after Operation Sindoor, under the PM's chairmanship and went on for over three-and-a-half hours.
Without mentioning Operation Sindoor, the PM in his closing remarks is learnt to have told the ministers that the world has seen India's defence might. The nature of war has changed and all can happen in just 20 minutes, he is learnt to have told the ministers.
During the meeting, Cabinet Secretary T V Samanathan made a presentation on '11 years of transformational governance', detailing the NDA government's achievements. Secretaries of the central government were present.
It is learnt that Modi asked the ministers and secretaries to not compare the last 10 years of achievements with the previous 10 years and focus on the targets set for the coming years.
Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Secretary Debashree Mukherjee made a presentation on her ministry's 'Catch the Rain' campaign. The PM suggested that MGNREGS funds should be used for water conservation works like it is used in other schemes PMAY-G.
During the meeting, Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava made a presentation on obesity. In March, the Prime Minister had termed obesity as the 'root cause of many diseases' and appealed to the people to 'reduce the intake of cooking oil by 10 per cent in your daily diet as it leads to obesity'.
NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam made a presentation on Aspirational District Program (ADP) and Aspirational Block Programme (ABP). It was pointed out that 5 Union ministers have not visited aspirational districts assigned to them. The PM then asked ministers to visit aspirational districts and spend at least 24 hours there.
Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
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