PM Modi takes feedback from ministers on welfare schemes:Says, ‘No one must be left behind, easing people’s lives is the only target’

The entire Union Council of Ministers met in New Delhi on Thursday, September 24, for the second day of a two-day brainstorming session focused on governance, reforms and improving the delivery of government schemes. The ministers discussed ways to ensure that the benefits of around 40–45 welfare schemes reach their intended beneficiaries with 100% coverage. They also considered ways to communicate information about welfare initiatives and development programmes more effectively to the public. Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with all eight groups of ministers formed for the second consecutive day and later addressed the entire Council of Ministers. Focus on reaching actual beneficiaries The discussions centred on identifying gaps in the implementation of government welfare schemes and finding ways to ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive the intended benefits. Ministers also discussed improving public communication so that people are better informed about government schemes and development initiatives. According to sources, effective communication with the public is expected to remain a key focus for the government. Governance and reforms discussed on first day On Wednesday, the first day of the two-day session, ministers discussed governance, reforms and ways to expand the reach of welfare and development programmes, particularly among women and young people. The discussions also focused on improving coordination between ministries and departments to make government functioning more efficient. Modi sought feedback from ministers and shared suggestions on advancing various government initiatives. ‘Jan Vishwas se Jan Aadhar’ and Viksit Bharat@2047 The ministers also discussed the theme of “Jan Vishwas se Jan Aadhar”, reforms across government sectors and priorities linked to Viksit Bharat@2047. The two-day deliberations are aimed at reviewing the government’s functioning, strengthening coordination and preparing a roadmap for future initiatives. The agenda also includes reviewing welfare schemes and infrastructure projects. The government has been working on the Viksit Bharat@2047 roadmap since 2021. Ten sectoral groups of secretaries have been formed to prepare short- and long-term plans, with suggestions sought from various stakeholders. According to sources, the ongoing chintan shivir is bringing together the work of these groups, ministries, departments, the Cabinet Secretariat and NITI Aayog. Ministers discuss service delivery and policy implementation The agenda also covers the progress of government schemes, policy implementation, time management, inter-ministerial coordination and delivery of public services. Modi has repeatedly stressed the need for reforms across sectors and has told ministers that addressing people’s problems and making their lives easier should remain a key priority. A similar brainstorming session was held on October 21, 2021, with governance and policymaking as its main focus. In recent months, ministers and ministries have also been directed to create live dashboards to track activities, review progress and seek feedback from employees. Earlier this month, Modi asked ministers to make the official websites of ministries and departments more user-friendly. ​