New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants all ministries to set goals keeping in mind global benchmarks, ThePrint has learnt.
This was conveyed by Modi last week when he went through presentations of 10 sectoral groups that were constituted by the PM in June this year, sources said. These sectoral groups were formed to come up with ‘transformative ideas’ for the next five years for each ministry and department.
“The PM has told secretaries of each group that it’s not enough to just say that this year they have exceeded last year’s target by 10 or 20 per cent. He asked them not to compare outcomes with previous year’s performances but look at global benchmarks and compare them against those,” a senior government official, who was present at the meeting, told ThePrint.
A second official present at the meeting also said since India is eyeing to become a $5 trillion economy, the PM believes it was time to deliver projects and services that are of global standards.
Following the meeting, all ministries have also been directed to prepare a five-year vision plan keeping global standards in mind for their respective sectors. “The PM will review from time to time on how different ministries are gearing up,” the official added.
Also read: 10 secretaries transferred and promoted in Modi govt’s 3rd reshuffle since May
No clarity among ministries
The 10 groups have been given sectors that include rural and agriculture, infrastructure, resources, social, welfare, finance, economy, technology, governance and security, and foreign affairs.
However, while the PM is pushing for global benchmarks, official sources said, there is not much clarity among ministries on how to go about it.
“As of now, we are looking at global benchmark for services related to our sector. Once we know how it will work for us, we will set our goals accordingly,” said a senior official in one of the infrastructure ministries, when asked about his department’s plans.
Another official working with a infrastructure ministry said, “For instance, while building houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the housing ministry should look at what is the global standard for completing such houses for the urban poor. If we are taking too much time, then we should incorporate technologies to expedite completion.”
Global benchmarking for services, however, is not a new concept for the government. Some ministries, such as the human resource development (HRD), have already been practising it.
“The GER (gross enrolment ratio) goals of the HRD ministry are made based on global benchmarks,” the official quoted above said.
GER determines the number of students enrolled in higher education compared to the total eligible population in the 18-23 age group.
Also read: The Prime Minister’s Man — in new PMO power equation, it’s PK Mishra who calls the shots
The poor man still does not get it and people around him are afraid to say its Rule of 72…S………..
Two penny backward dirty socialist country wants to develop without following free market Capitalism.
Praiseworthy. This is not as difficult as it sounds. For over half a century at least, five star hotels have conformed to global standards, despite having all manner of restrictions on import of some of the products they required. The private sector, all the more since 1991, has had to compete with the world’s best. Government remains the last holdout.