by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
A Lokmat Exclusive report
PMO Missive to Minister: Clear all projects by March 8
EC may issue Poll notification on Saturday ?
New Delhi, March 4
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has directed all the ministries and departments to complete launching of all pending project by March 8.
Since the Election Commission of India is likely to issue notification for the General Elections on March 9, the PMO has said that all work to inaugurate projects be completed by March 8. With the Model Code of Conduct coming into force, the foundation stone for any project cannot be laid and no project be inaugurated or new scheme launched. Therefore, the PMO has asked the ministries to launch all projects as announced. In fact, the Prime Minister himself has a tight schedule until March 8 traveling across the country launching numerous projects. Interestingly, the PM is launching a a series of projects wherever he is going these days.For example, he launched 18 projects at Amethi yesterday at one function.
The emphasis is particularly on the infrastructure ministries like Road Transport, Railways, Coal, Power, Communication & IT, Petroleum, Science & Technology, Steel, Mines, Textiles, Food processing, Health and Defence. The ministries under Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, R K Singh (Power) are in particular focus. It is largely because of this very reason that all the ministers are concerned are traveling state after state launching projects. In fact, the PM has also said that the minister concerned need not be present for the inauguration of a project with him and devote time to launch projects in other states. For example, Piyush Goyal is launching another project in Tamil Nadu today while the PM is launching a project in Gujrat relating to his ministry.
The PM's Project Monitoring Group (PMG) which monitors all pending infrastructure projects has resolved 3100 projects involving investment of Rs 10.76 lakh crores. The PMG was set up in September 2015.
The ministries have also been directed to ensure that all the promises laid down in the BJP's 2014 Lok Sabha poll manifesto are implemented. These ministries have been told to send a point-wise performance report as listed in the manifesto. The non-infrastructure ministries such as HRD, Commerce, Social Justice & Empowerment, Women & Child Development, Environment and others have been told to send the completion report of aims and objects by March 8.
For example, the HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has completed the process of appointments of all the chancellors and vice chancellors of universities and cleared his desk. Even the New Education Policy as promised in the party manifesto is ready for release. But it is being vetted again and may be deferred until the next Lok Sabha poll process is complete.
Modi is launching perhaps the last scheme of his government - Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana (PM-SYM) on his two-day visit to Gujarat giving minimum wages to workers.
Ends
