Sure of NDA’s 3rd term, PM Narendra Modi draws up 100-day action plan

Animesh Singh

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New Delhi, March 3

Bullish on the development agenda for the next two decades, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a day-long meeting of his Council of Ministers as they brainstormed over the vision document for “Viksit Bharat 2047” and a detailed action plan for the next five years.

Roadmap for development

• The PM asked all ministries to convene Viksit Bharat seminars and share ideas
• Ministers were told that industrial bodies should be encouraged to deliberate on how to make India a developed nation by 2047
• Viksit Bharat goals include areas such as economic growth, sustainable development, ease of living, ease of doing business, infrastructure and social welfare

Government sources said a 100-day agenda for immediate steps to be taken after a new government is formed in May was deliberated upon during the meeting for its quick implementation.

The PM said at the meeting that the vision document was prepared after more than 2,700 meetings with several ministries, institutions, civil societies and academia as well as youth between December 2021 and January 2024. “Suggestions of more than 20 lakh youths were received,” one official said.

Modi also deliberated upon an action plan for the next five years, which would be subject to the NDA coming back to power if it wins for the third time in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The PM addressed the Council of Ministers for almost an hour. Apart from Cabinet ministers, secretaries of all Central ministries were also present at the meeting, which was probably the last one conducted by the NDA government in its second term.

The sources said the PM spoke about greater investment in future technologies to facilitate greater innovation, and also referred to demographic changes — of ageing population and the challenges it involves.

The PM asked all ministries to convene Viksit Bharat seminars, and share ideas. He also told ministers that industrial bodies should be encouraged to deliberate on how to make India a developed nation by 2047.

The roadmap for Viksit Bharat has a comprehensive blueprint with clearly articulated national vision, aspirations, goals and action points, the sources said, adding that its goals include areas such as economic growth, sustainable development goals (SDGs), ease of living, ease of doing business, infrastructure and social welfare.

Modi also asked ministers and officials to go through the records of respective ministries to see how decisions evolved in the past, and how ideas had changed over the last 25 years.

The Council of Ministers met at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in Chanakyapuri in the Capital. The PM has repeatedly expressed confidence that his government would retain power for a third consecutive term and has set a target of winning 370 seats for the BJP and over 400 for the ruling alliance led by his party in the Lok Sabha poll.