PM Narendra Modi asks ministers to set 100-day agenda

New Delhi, May 29: Getting down to business, Prime Minister

on Thursday asked his

colleagues to set a 100-day agenda with focus on efficient governance, delivery and implementation of programmes.

Believing that the progress of states is crucial for the country's development, he also instructed his Council of Ministers to give priority to the issues brought forth by the state governments as also the MPs.

The directives were given by Modi at a Cabinet meeting here in the context of his 10-point vision which includes increasing investment, completing infrastructure projects in time-bound manner and exploiting the natural resources to the country's benefit.

To send out a similar message across the country, Modi is likely to address the nation, possibly after the brief Parliament session that would be convened from June 4 to 11 during which President Pranab Mukherjee will address the joint sitting outlining the government's agenda.

"The Prime Minister issued guidelines to the Ministers at the Cabinet meeting... He asked the ministers to set a timetable for the first 100 days listing the priorities," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

Modi emphasised that the "most important" aspect that need to be focussed on are efficient governance, delivery and implementation of schemes and programmes, Naidu said while briefing the media on the meeting.

While focussing on these aspects, the government will take forward on priority basis the issues pending from the previous government. He asked the Cabinet ministers to take Ministers of State along and give them "proper" work so that they feel involved.

The Prime Minister has outlined the "roadmap" and asked Ministers to set the agenda of 100 days, Naidu said, adding efforts would be made to implement it.

Modi told his Cabinet colleagues, at the second meeting in two days, that he would be regularly meeting them as also the Secretaries individually, Naidu said.

To a question, the Minister said issues like price rise, agriculture and women security, will naturally be a priority as these are the focus areas of the BJP-led government.

"Expectations of people are high... Difference sections have different priorities. Every section is important," he said.

On Modi's thrust on giving priority to issues raised by states, Naidu said this was in keeping with the "true spirit of federalism".

He explained that since Modi, as Chief Minister of Gujarat, had worked in a state, he understands the importance of federal structure and gave instructions for maintaining certain standards in this respect.

On the issue of giving work to Ministers of State, Naidu said Modi wants them to be taken along in proper spirit because "a new team" is to be built.

"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 said.

PTI