Modi Govt Policies

Link 1 – 3 Years Of Govt on Eonomic Front by India Today (May 2017)

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-bharatiya-janata-party-nda-government-
third-anniversary-economy/1/963861.html

3 years of PM Narendra Modi: Here's how NDA government

performed on economic front
HIGHLIGHTS
 1 Transport Ministry under Gadkari is one of the best performing wings of the Modi
government.
 2 The Modi government has been able to keep inflation under control.
 3 Job creation is one area where the NDA govt has failed to live up to its
expectations.

On May 26, 2014, Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister of India after the BJP-
led NDA secured a mammoth majority - unseen in the last 30 years - in the
parliamentary polls.

Narendra Modi swung the BJP's electoral fortune in the general elections with the
slogan of bringing Achche Din, symbolising economic prosperity accompanied with
enough number of jobs for the teeming millions.

The Narendra Modi government has completed more than half its tenure and the Prime
Minister has been successful in ensuring political stability and providing decisive
leadership with bold decisions, which were both acclaimed as well as bitterly criticised
over the last three years. 
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HOW BUDGET WAS REFORMED

When the Modi government was sworn in three years ago, the economy was suffering
on account of a policy paralysis. Reviving the economy was high on the agenda of the
Modi government. Narendra Modi announced simplification of rules and procedures as
the guiding principle of his government to bring about economic reforms in the country.

Three years down the line, Budget has been transformed into a simple process. Three
major changes have been brought by the Modi government to streamline the annual
Budget.

Railway Budget was merged with Union Budget. It brought all the departments of the
government on an equal footing with equal weightage in the eye of the Finance Ministry.
Anyway, there was no mention of a separate Railway Budget in the Constitution.
Furthermore, the Railway Minister was saved from the excruciating process of
formulating Budget for the department. This process earlier consumed a lot of precious
time of the Railway Minister and his department's staff.

The date of Budget presentation was advanced from February 28 to February 1 and the
passage of the Finance Bill was also advanced. This helped change the financial cycle
from July to April more in sync with the cropping cycle in most parts of the country.
The third major change was doing away with the artificial distinction between planned
and non-planned expenditure of the government. A government is anyway not
supposed to spend money without planning. Furthermore, there is a contingency fund
and a Prime Minister's Relief Fund to meet any expenditure in times of calamities or
emergency. 

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

In the World Bank's latest Doing Business 2017 report, India ranks 130 among 190
countries - just one place ahead of its last year's ranking. But, Union Minister Nirmala
Sitaraman recently said that over '7,000 steps' were taken by the Modi government to
improve the ease of doing business in the last three years.

Narendra Modi has defined ease of doing business in the country as one of the prime
objectives of his government. He has said on several occasions that ease of doing
business helps in attracting foreign as well as institutional investments.

The passage of the Goods and Services Tax Acts is a step in the direction of improving
the ease of doing business. This is likely to change the business environment in the
country.

Further, the Modi government scrapped the Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB), which was held responsible by many observers of the Indian economy as the
single biggest bottleneck in the way of FDI.

E-filing of Income Tax Returns is another step that helps in improving the ease of doing
business in the country.

FIGHT AGAINST BLACK MONEY

Bringing back illegal wealth stashed in foreign banks was one of the stated agenda of
the Modi government, which began its tenure with the setting up of a Special
Investigation Team (SIT) on black money. Justice MP Shah heads the SIT.

While the SIT continued to work on its mandate, the Narendra Modi government
brought about a number of measures to curb black money. The most debated of those
measures was demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in November last year.

Demonetisation was a decision aimed at bringing about a new phase in the Indian
economy. It was implemented to target multiple goals. The biggest achievement of
demonetisation is the spread of formal economy and bank connectivity to most of the
transactions.

Besides, a series of legislations was enacted by the Modi government aimed at

checking the generation of black money. Benami transactions (Prohibition) Amended
Act, 2016 replaced the old law of 1988, making it more punitive.

Similarly, the loopholes in the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 were plugged
by an amendment in 2015. The Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of
Tax) Act, 2015 was passed that provides for penalty for hiding information about foreign
income.

The much-debated Finance Act 2015 amended Foreign Exchange Management Act
(FEMA) 1999. The amended law provides for seizure and confiscation of property of
equivalent value in India, in case a person is found to have acquired any foreign
exchange or immovable property abroad through illegal means.

FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE
Transport Ministry under Nitin Gadkari is said to be one of the best performing wings of
the Narendra Modi government. A range of schemes were launched to improve
infrastructure including roads, ports, railways, airways and electricity.

Smart City Mission was launched with the aim of building 100 model cities in the country
by 2019. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Development (AMRUT) Yojana
was launched to develop infrastructure in 500 towns and cities by 2020.

The Shyama Prasad Mukherjee National Rurban Mission is aimed at developing smart
villages on the line of smart cities in order to stem the trend of migration. The Setu
Bharatam Project is aimed at making national highways free of railway crossing by
2019.

In June 2016, the Narendra Modi government launched the National Civil Aviation
Policy - the first comprehensive policy on civil aviation. It is aimed at creating an eco-
system to make flying affordable for the masses. Under this policy, UDAN (Ude Desh
Ka Aam Nagrik) was launched to connect nearly 50 small cities of the country.

INFLATION UNDER CONTROL

Rising prices was one of the factors that went against the previous Manmohan Singh
government in 2014. The Modi government has been able to keep the prices down.

CPI inflation for May 2014 was around 8.5 per cent. Now it has come down to 2.9 per
cent (April, 2017). The wholesale price index (WPI) for the last month was 3.85 per
cent.

Price stabilisation has helped the Narendra Modi government and the RBI work in
tandem to bring down the lending rates. The BJP benefitted from this politically as
evident from election after election in different states.

GDP GROWTH AND OTHER INDICATORS

The gross domestic product rate stood at 4.7 per cent during the last fiscal year of the
Manmohan Singh government. But, one year later under the Narendra Modi
government, the GDP growth rate soared over 7 per cent. It has maintained the trend
since then.

Now, with the GST, many observers across the globe believe that India's GDP growth
rate would go past 8 per cent.

The Current Account Deficit (CAD), which was a problem during the UPA rule, is now
below 1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

However, job creation is one area where the Narendra Modi government has not fared
according to expectations. Against the Modi government's promise to create 1 crore
jobs every year, labour bureau records presents a dismal picture.

In the last two years about 3.5 lakh jobs were created, which is a cause of worry. But, at
the end of three years, the Narendra Modi government may sit satisfied especially when
the Opposition is reeling under sustained political pressure from the BJP, which is
functioning like an election winning machine.
Article in Hindu, 2 Yrs of Modi:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/two-years-of-modi-government-a-
review/article14340383.ece1

The Article:
Two years of Modi government: a review

As the BJP-led NDA completes two years in office, a look at its hits and misses
On May 26, two years back, >President Pranab Mukherjee administered the oath of
office to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet. The lavish ceremony was
attended by Premiers of SAARC nations, several Chief Ministers, Opposition leaders,
besides a host of celebrities, corporate honchos and religious heads.
For the first time in 30 years, the BJP came to power with an absolute majority and the
swearing-in ceremony gave a hint that Team Modi was ready with a game-changing
plan for the country. Two years into governance, we look back at the Centre's
performance.

Hits

Yemen evacuation

This was one of the >biggest evacuations during the times of war, since the Gulf War I.
MoS Gen. (Retd) V.K. Singh personally oversaw the operation. The External Affairs
Minister headed by Sushma Swaraj earned laurels for helping the Indians living abroad,
be it for >rescuing Kerala nurses from war-torn Libya or >bringing back differently-abled
Geeta from Pakistan.

Jan Dhan Yojana

Anyone can now open an account in a bank, thanks to this financial inclusion scheme.
Barely a fortnight after the launch, the yojana >entered the Guiness Book of World
Records for the maximum number of accounts opened in a week. The scheme is a big
boost in moving towards direct subsidy transfer.

LPG subsidy reforms

Initially started as a ‘Give It Up’ campaign, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry
headed by Dharmendra Pradhan>barred LPG subsidy to customers who earn more
than Rs. 10 lakh per annum. The amount saved was used to give over five lakh new
LPG connections to those who still use firewoods or kerosene stoves for cooking.

Swachh Bharat Mission

A pet project of Mr. Modi, sanitation ministry's Swachh Bharat mission got wide public
support, especially on social media after celebrities joined the Clean India challenge.
Not just stopping with cleaning the locality, the >government has taken initiatives such
as building more toilets, waste management and waste segregation. Real success, will
however happen, when manual scavenging is completely eradicated.
India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement
When India is facing boundary disputes with every neighbour, this >agreementgives
optimism that issues can be amicably solved over diplomacy. The people living in the
enclaves that were recently annexed to India even exercised their franchise in the
recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.

Bankruptcy code
At a time when bankers were grappling with huge rise in non-performing assets and
government eyeing to create more entrepreneurs, >the amendment of existing
bankruptcy laws was necessary. With the support from Congress, the law was passed
in Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session where the ruling party was short of numbers.

Real Estate regulation

Apart from making the process transparent and keeping checks and balances in the
form of a Real Estate Regulatory Authority, >the law drafted by Housing Ministry
headed by M. Venkaiah Naidu gave confidence to home-buyers. When housing sector
contributes to nine per cent of GDP, this law, if effectively implemented by the States, is
a game-changer in the housing sector.

Yoga Day
India’s lobbying got success when the United Nations declared June 21 as
>International Yoga Day. The mass yoga performance at Rajpath, which was led by Mr.
Modi himself, set the record of most number of people participating in such an event

Mann Ki Baat
A first such initiative in India where a top leader addresses millions, that too periodically.
The programme even >featured U.S. President Barack Obama during his visit to India.

Digital India
This flagship programme of Ravi Shankar Prasad's Communications Ministry aiming to
create a knowledge economy and good governance is travelling in the right path. Every
minister and every ministry is now on Twitter. A slew of e-governance measures like
digital locker and feedbacks through >mygov.in are some notable initiatives .

Misses
Pathankot attack
The attack at IAF air base, just few hours from the National Capital, is the first of its kind
after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. There were differences of opinion over the way in which
the encounter was handled, Home Minister Rajnath Singh>was kept out of key
meetings at the time of attacks and to make things worse, there was confusion over the
number if terrorists sneaked in to carry out the attack. The attack raised questions on
the security-level at India’s military bases.

Masood Azhar
India’s efforts to add the name of Masood Azhar, the chief of JeM, in the UN list of
proscribed terrorists >failed as China raised objections to it. This is a major setback to
India as Azhar is believed to be behind the Pathankot attack.

India-Pak relations
Much to the hype of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attending the swearing-in
ceremony or the saree diplomacy, both governments >couldn’t re-start the dialogue
process nor has the firing across the Line of Control came down. Mr. Modi’s surprise
stop-over at Lahore too failed to cut the ice.

India-Nepal relations
Anti-India protests flared up in Nepal after trade movements through the border were
not allowed for many days. Nepal called it >'India's blockade' as it followed protests by
Madhesis. All of these happened within a year of the Himalayan quake, when Nepal
thanked India’s help in rescue and rehabilitation. Also, India couldn’t keep away Nepal
from moving closer to China.

Dissidence in Central Universities

Smriti Irani and the Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development was in news
for all wrong reasons. The >suicide of a Dalit Research Scholar at Hyderabad Central
University, sedition charges against students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, the FTII
students’ strike, decision of >not to support off-campus centres of Aligarh Muslim
University, closing down Ambedkar-Periyar Study circle in IIT-Madras, the list goes on.
And some avoidable controversies such as >competition for schoolchildren on
Christmas or >scrapping Germanbeing taught at CBSE schools.

Blackmoney
Bringing back money stashed in off-shore accounts was one of BJP’s poll promises.
The government gave a three-month window for compliance, but only 644 declarations
were made. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley once >saidthe bulk of blackmoney is within
India, but little has been done to contain the feeders of parallel economy – higher
education, real estate and mining.

GST Bill/Land ordinance

The government is unable to pass the >GST Bill in Rajya Sabha for the past two years.
Touted as the biggest tax reform in Independent India, the government is unable to
bring consensus. Same is the fate of >land bill. Though the Centre took the ordinance
route to clear the bill, it was re-promulgated twice and lapsed on August 31, 2015.

Uttarakhand fiasco
The pre-mature imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, and victory of Harish
Rawat in the Supreme Court-monitored floor test, is not only an >embarrassment to the
ruling government but also to the BJP, whose attempt to gain from dissidence in
Uttarakhand Congress misfired.
Silence on fringe right-wing groups
Law and order could be a State subject. Murders of rationalists and attacks on minority
community by fringe right-wing elements may not be limited to the BJP-ruled states. But
the Centre as well as the Prime Minister’s refrains from condemning or making
comments against such attacks didn’t go well with the public.

Women’s Bill
The >bill seeking one-third representation for women in Parliament and State
Assemblies is an almost-forgotten topic now. Cleared in Rajya Sabha in 2010, the Bill is
pending in the lower House, in which the BJP front enjoys comfortable majority. Wait
and watch

Smart City plans

It is impossible to create a city, that too a ‘smart’ one in two years. But the BJP
government has kickstarted the process by short listing 20 cities in the first phase. Mr.
Jaitley’s >maiden budget allocated 7,060 crore for the development of 100 smart cities.

Make In India
Another pet project of Mr. Modi to make India the manufacturing hub, the government is
taking efforts by easing foreign investment norms, revamping labour laws and cutting
down the red tape. India has conducted road shows abroad and Mr. Modi has >travelled
several countries to gather support. Many multi-nationals have pledged their support.

EPFO reforms
The government introduced >universal access number (UAN) to all EPF holders to
make transfer of PF accounts easy when switching jobs. The good name earned from
the working class soon vanished when the Finance Minister proposed tax at premature
withdrawal of provident fund. It was roll backed after protest by garment workers
crippled Bengaluru.

OROP
The One Rank One Pension scheme, a long-pending demand of ex-servicemen was
>accepted by the government, but with caveats. Premature retirees have been excluded
and the pension review will be carried out every year. Though all demands of veterans
have not been met, the government will be remembered for bringing a 40-year-long
struggle to an end.

Planning Commission to NITI Aayog

Doing away with the more than six-decade practice of Planning Commission, the
government came up with a think-tank approach to economic strategy. The acronym
>NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) itself invited criticism of government
pushing pro-Hindi agenda and opposition ridiculing it as aniti and durniti. For a nation so
used to Planning Commission allocating funds every year, time will tell the effect of this
new approach.

UDAY
The Power Ministry headed by Piyush Goyal plans to aid discoms and State
governments to >raise upto Rs. 1.75 lakh crore through bonds to improve the health of
power distribution sector. Eighteen states have agreed to take part in the scheme. The
plan also aiming to curb power theft and pilfirage, appears good on paper. What needs
to be seen is how it is implemented.

Aadhaar
The government saved Aadhaar from turning to a white elephant by >passing the
Aadhaar Bill. However, questions remain on why was it made a money bill, would the
constitution be amended to give more teeth to Aadhaar, or would the UIDAI
compromise on privacy. The Centre’s Digital India and host of welfare measures rely on
Aadhaar. Will Aadhaar be just another card or will it truly make a change should be
watched.

Ganga rejunuvation
The Modi government created a separate ministry headed by Uma Bharti to clean the
river and protect it’s ecosystem. The Namami Gange project with a budget of Rs.
20,000 crores over a period of five years has been cleared. Ms. Bharti >claims Ganga
will be cleaned by 2018. The deadline appears tight but nonetheless, the clamour for a
cleaner river has gained momentum.

Bullet train
Imagine travelling to Mumbai from Ahmedabad within two hours? That’s what a bullet
train would do if the >deal with Japan is implemented. China has expressed interest in
developing the Chennai-Delhi bullet train corridor. But a single bullet train corridor
requiring about Rs. 98,000 crores questions the viability of the project.

Welfare Schemes
A slew of insurance schemes namely crop insurance for farmers, Atal Pension Yojana
for the unorganised sector, affordable health insurance coverage, and the Jan Aushadhi
Yojana for retail sales of generic drugs were introduced in the last two years.. In
addition, the government has re-launched Kisan Vikas Patra and introduced a PPF-
equivalent for girl child, the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme. Again, in country known from
socialist welfare schemes, the onus of welfare shifting from government to individual is
an ideological change and may take time for acceptance.
10 things that the Modi government is doing right
http://www.rediff.com/news/special/10-things-that-the-modi-government-is-doing-
right/20140813.htm

Despite criticism of a lack of transparency and communication from the Modi-led

government, BJP leaders point to "good beginnings" on several fronts to defend
its performance. Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com reports. The first of a two-part series.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's critics await his speech on the morning of August 15 to
see if the icon of Election 2014 shows the same spark that he demonstrated during his
high-voltage election campaign. So far, Modi has been attempting, through the Prime
Minister's Office, to superimpose the Gujarat model of governance onto the well-
established New Delhi system. That is not likely to work, even his one-time staunch
supporters feel.

Economists Dr Bibek Debroy and Dr Surjit Bhalla, who were Modi sympathisers, have
started questioning the prime minister and his decisions affecting long-term policy goals.

Media watchers say the government lacks transparency and this will snowball into
serious issues down the line. Many parliamentarians feel that even the balance between
the Executive and the Judiciary is likely to be shaken sooner rather than later.

Industry seems confused by the emerging Modi brand of governance as the expected
economic reforms are not in sight. 'Whichever way I look at it, I don't think any big
subsidy reform is intended,' Dr Debroy posted on his blog.

Dr Bhalla, in his column in The Indian Express, asked, 'Who would have believed at the
time of voting that Modi would fail to communicate his thoughts, his ideas of reform, his
vision for a new India -- a problem also seen with the previous government? We saw
and heard him here, there, and everywhere -- today, direct communication is nowhere
to be heard.'

Of all the criticisms of the Modi-led sarkar, the gravest is about the Bharatiya Janata
Party's political manoeuvring, under the eyes of newly-nominated BJP President Amit
Shah, in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has expressed her concern saying, 'Since the BJP
has come to power there have been an alarming increase in number of incidents of
communal violence. We have had hundreds of incidents of communal violence and
rioting in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and a number of other states.'

'Will the real Modi please stand up?' Dr Bhalla asked.

It is expected that the 'real Modi' will open up from the ramparts of the Red Fort on
Independence Day.
However, that hope may not realised. After all, the speech from the Red Fort has to be
political and for the 'historical records'. Modi's voters are looking for good governance
on the ground, control of prices, corruption-less implementation of some creative ideas
to govern the country and a swift mechanism to deliver justice.

In view of the obstacles the government faced in getting the insurance bill through
Parliament suggests that even with the BJP's 281 MPs, everything can't be taken for
granted in a parliamentary democracy by the ruling party.

One of Modi's confidantes and an important BJP functionary, in an off the record
conversation, gave a long list of things that the Modi government has already done and
is doing.

Here are a few defensive arguments that BJP leaders offer while speaking to
Rediff.com:

ONE: Out of all the issues the most serious issue is related to rising communal tension
and clashes in UP and Maharashtra. One of the reports that analysed the communal
incidents said that, 'Between May 16 -- when UP delivered a spectacular tally to the BJP
in the Lok Sabha -- and July 25, 605 low-key clashes took place which police identified
as "communal" in nature. Nearly 200 of these occurred in or around the 12
constituencies (where by-elections will be held soon) and another 200 in the broader
region.'

"The report says that the 605 clashes are identified by the Uttar Pradesh police as
'communal in nature'," the Modi condfidante said. "Do you know how and by what
standard operating procedures any crime is identified as 'communal'?"

"Even when a Muslim boy snatches a purse of a woman in the bazaar it will be termed
as 'communal' if the victim is a Hindu. Since 1947, the procedure is set, particularly in
UP, where the IPC (Indian Penal Code) Section 153A is defined and applied arbitrarily
by the police if it suits the political masters."

Section 295 of the IPC is used when someone is injuring or defiling a place of worship
with intent to insult the religion of any class. Section 295A is used for deliberate and
malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its
religious or religious beliefs. Section 296 for disturbing religious assembly. Section 297
trespassing on burial places, etc. Section 298 uttering, words, etc, with deliberate intent
to wound the religious feelings of any person.

These sections are such and applied in such a manner that merely by reading
"statistics" of communal tension the actual seriousness of the ground situation can't be
judged, argues the BJP leader.
Instead of talking about the BJP's role in the UP communal fire, the BJP leader said, "If,
really, Hindus and Muslims have had clashes in 600 instances in the limited area of UP
then the entire nation should be shaken up. The report has analysed 'statistics' and not
the ground situation. How many television channels and dailies have reported in-depth
the communal riots and clashes all over UP as mentioned by the Congress? If 600
clashes are actually reported by the police, then why is the media not showing them
round the clock?"

BJP leaders in UP do not deny communal tensions in general, he said. But he said that
is due to the Samajwadi Party's undeclared policy of deputing only Yadavs and Muslims
in the police stations of communally-sensitive areas.

TWO: Those who miss the important pointer of Modi's thinking are reminded proudly by
the BJP leader that the Modi government has taken the decision on the Bali agreement
on the World Trade Organisation after much deliberation. The top five leaders in the
government including Modi met to discuss it.

The BJP has no doubt that the Manmohan Singh government could not take their
argument to its logical conclusion. They insist, in December 2013, then commerce
minister Anand Sharma succumbed to international pressure. Sharma has strongly
rebutted the allegation.

On the minimum support price of rice, India has crossed the subsidy limit and if it had
not walked out from the WTO talks, Indian rice farmers would have been rendered
without any protection.

"We would have seen 5 lakh (500,000) farmer suicides in the coming decade if India
would have not taken the strong stand at the WTO," the senior leader told Rediff.com
"Even US Secretary of State John Kerry came calling to see that we join the chorus, but
Modi stood by Indian farmers. What more do you expect from the government in the first
two months?"

When told about criticism that Modi is facing from his intellectual supporters, the BJP
leader said, "Those who has given us votes have to be protected. Only the election after
five years would prove if we are on the right track!"

"We will prove, eventually, we are neither capitalists nor under the influence of the
corporatewallahs. We are realists!"

THREE: The Modi government's top functionaries argue that by October they will
ensure that food prices are brought under control. So far, all its leaders including
ministers like Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh have shown sensitivity to price rise and
keeping inflation in check, the BJP leader claims.

FOURTH: In the Budget, he points out, in spite of pressure of top bureaucrats, Modi
and Jaitley did not raise any taxes.
FIFTH: To show sensitivity to the poor and to ensure continuity and exhibit maturity in
governance, none of the welfare schemes initiated by the Manmohan Singh government
have been discontinued.

SIXTH: The Modi government has ensured that SAARC countries feel closer to India.
New confidence building measures are planned in this regard.

SEVENTH: Indian industrialists are given confidence to invest in new horizons of

growth. Serious attention is being given to remove bottlenecks. The Indian Railways has
been asked to resume building of 230 over-bridges to help expedite goods transport.

EIGHTH: The BRICS summit has shown that India cannot be underestimated. India is
not a passive player after the stand on the Bali trade issue and BRICS Summit.

NINE: Modi is directly handling issues related to the Indian military and its
modernisation. One rank, one pension is under implementation. The military projects
related to security get the highest priority. Military projects that need one hectare or less
land are exempted from environment clearances.

TEN: "Why is the media not writing that we have not abused the CBI Central Bureau of
Investigation) to pass the insurance bill or manoeuvre things in the Rajya Sabha?" the
BJP leader asked.

All the BJP ministers, except the top four (Modi, Jaitley, Rajnath Singh and Sushma
Swaraj), are asked to attend the open darbar at the BJP headquarters on Ashoka Road,
he said. They have been told, 'These people (party workers) helped you get votes, now
listen to their issues and help solve them.'
10 things that the Modi govt is doing WRONG
http://www.rediff.com/news/column/ten-things-that-the-modi-govt-is-doing-
wrong/20140818.htm

BS Raghavan, a Chennai-based retired bureaucrat, lists here ten things that the
Narendra Modi government is doing wrong. With a dawn of new regime in New Delhi,
he says, "One expected to see verdant new shoots of change in the outlook, mindset
and conduct of the government" but the high hopes are being shaken as "one sees
dreary desert sands of dead habits".

Here are 10 things the Modi government is doing wrong:

This piece in response to this: 10 things that the Modi government is doing right

ONE: Falling for the glitter of foreign photo-ops: They mean nothing and could have
waited until crying domestic ills were addressed. Modi must first till the home ground
before he goes calling.

TWO: Failing to set out his priorities and approach by interventions in Parliament and
addressing mass meetings in strategic locations (Kolkata, Chennai) a la his election
campaign

THREE: Neglecting to cultivate the south. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Modi are still
seen as north Indian aliens by people of the south. Names of schemes are in Hindi,
speeches are in Hindi, and hardly any political figure of consequence in the government
has visited the south after the government took charge.

FOUR: Persisting with nondescript and shady characters as ministers who soon will
become either loose cannons or puppets in the hands of bureaucracy. They are yet to
make any impression on the people. Smriti Irani has a charming presence and good
repertoire of words, and renders them mellifluously and fluently, but comes through as
immature and shifty.

FIVE: Indulging in slick coinages like HIT( recently spoke about it in Nepal). They will
detract from prime minister’s gravitas, and will be seen as school-boyish gimmickry.

SIX: The PM's website is proving to be a gimmick. It is visitor-hostile, full of glitches and
elicits no response to any of the messages. Large numbers who thought it was a hotline
with the prime minister are disillusioned and Modi is becoming the target of their anger.

SEVEN: Resorting to spin rather than working hard to deliver solid, tangible outcomes.
Making out that Modi’s exhortation to the secretaries is a first or going to town about the
dos and don'ts for bureaucrats as a revolutionary step is nothing but spin. Both
practices are as old as the hills. They have once again been dusted up, that's all.
EIGHT: No zing or pep in government. It is seen to be lack-lustre, languid and
lackadaisical. It has made no difference to the cutting edge. US President Franklin
Roosevelt set up the entire framework of the New Deal to break the back of the Great
Depression in just one month.

NINE: No effort made by Modi to ensure smooth functioning of the Lok Sabha. By being
constantly present, as Nehru was, and intervening now and again to set things right, as
Nehru did, would have made an impact. The new Speaker is as ineffective as the
previous one.

TEN: Where one expected to see verdant new shoots of change in outlook, mindset and
conduct, one sees "dreary desert sands of dead habits".

This above column was written before the Prime Minister delivered his
Independence Day speech on August 15.
10 Best Things Modi Government Has Done So Far
by Charu Pant, June 1, 2015

When Modi stormed into power in 2014 by winning Lok Sabha election with massive
mandate, he delivered a strong message: “We are not here for any positions but for a
responsibility”. From bureaucrats to MPs, everyone started falling in line. Be it
strengthening foreign policy or launching welfare schemes for low-income group, team
Modi has been working hard to fulfil people’s expectations.

Modi-led government is clocking over a year at the wheel. Here are 10 major things
Modi government has achieved since coming to power:

1. Make in India
To facilitate investment, boost research & development (R&D), ensure product
originality and create skill-based jobs by establishing industrial sector; major national
programme was started by Narendra Modi. Modi has reached out to the world with his
idea of ‘Make in India’ and it has generated positive response from foreign companies.
Key Labour Law reform in the pipeline will boost manufacturing industry and foreign
investment in India.

2. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign)

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on 2 Oct 2014 by Modi. Filth is considered one
of the major problems in India and Modi gave the issue its due importance by launching
a nationwide campaign. Many called it a masterstroke from Modi as it put him at par
with Mahatma Gandhi in public perception and also gave people the message to act on
hygiene and civic sense. Modi nominated notable personalities from film industry,
sports, media, business and other celebrities to promote the initiative.

3. Creation of NITI Aayog to Replace Planning Commission

On 1 Jan 2015, Modi formed National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog,
which is a policy think-tank of Government of India that replaced Planning Commission.
The panel was abolished along with GOMs and EGOMs which caused policy paralysis
under UPA rule. NITI Aayog is headed by PM Modi and its members include top-notch
economists, consultants and advisers along the lines of US think-tanks.

4. Jan Dhan Yojana

On 15 August 2014, Modi announced Jan Dhan Yojana. Over 15 crore bank accounts
were opened in last one year. Main focus has been on reaching every household to
provide credit facility, pension and insurance to account holders.

5. Economic Reforms and Policy Implementation

Modi-led NDA government’s primary focus is on reviving Indian economy through major
reforms in manufacturing and export sector. Government has not only increased the
limits of FDI in Railways, Insurance and Defence but also encouraged privatisation of
loss-making public sector companies.
Without being bogged down by coalition partners, Modi persisted with his focus on
transformation. On the infrastructure front, government has already begun work on
connecting major metros under Diamond Quadrilateral rail corridor project. Major
reforms and developments are under process for Modi’s dream projects: 100 Smart
Cities and Clean Ganga Mission.

6. Foreign Policy Put on Fast-track Mode

Modi’s foreign policy is currently focussed on improving relations with neighbouring
countries and getting the world to invest in India. In the US, he met several American
business leaders and invited them to be a part of Make in India programme. During his
recent visit to France, he urged Airbus, the aerospace giant, to explore manufacturing
opportunities in India. While in Germany, he made a strong pitch for the Make in India
initiative. He has been trying to send across the message of a more “competitive,
confident and secure” India.

7. Tourism Gets a Push

Tourism featured prominently in the government’s action plan. Its prime target has been
to make India a world class travel destination. In last one year, the visa system
underwent a major revamp. Introduction of visa-on-arrival service for all leading nations
was a key step in this direction. Moreover, growth has been reportedly observed in the
number of foreign tourist arrivals after the Modi government came to power.

8. Implementation of Neighbourhood First Policy

One of the major policy initiatives taken by Modi government was to actively focus on
improving ties with immediate neighbours. Inviting all heads of SAARC nations to Modi’s
swearing-in ceremony was an aggressive and smart move by Modi as a Prime Minister.
It gave bold message to the World that no one does swearing-in in Asia like we do. It
was the first diplomatic victory for Modi and India started taking itself seriously again.

9. Campaign for Building Toilets

PM Modi has initiated a huge project to construct 10 crore toilets by 2019 at an
unbelievable rate of one toilet per second. Modi appealed to corporate sector for
contribution in this Clean India drive. Positive response has come from IT giant TCS
and they have decided to build 10,000 toilets in girls’ schools across the country. An
enormous fund of 100 crore has been provisioned for this cause. Oriental Bank of
Commerce has announced contribution of 2 crore for building toilets. Bharti Foundation,
Adani Group, Reliance Group and Vedanta Group have also pledged support for the
campaign and contributed significantly.

10. Confidence-building Measures in Kashmir

Kashmir is an integral part of India but has a long list of complaints against previous
governments – both Centre and state. When the flood created devastations in the
valley, response from Modi government was immediate and genuine. Modi dedicated
constant monitoring system for flood affected areas and people of Kashmir. He also
decided to spend Deepawali with Kashmir flood survivors. Even his critics praised his
move. After a long time an Indian politician managed to establish a connect with the
Kashmiri people.