PM MODI CHAIRS 44TH PRAGATI MEETING

Why in the news?

During the 44th PRAGATI meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually chaired a meeting and reviewed as many as seven landmark infrastructure projects involving ₹76,500 crore out of which ₹71,191 crore has already been sanctioned for implementation across 11 states and union territories Minister of State Independent Charge of Science & Technology.

source:etinfra

Key Highlights of the Meeting:

Emphasis on Environmental Safeguarding and Water Resource:

  • The PM’s focus on the two aspects of environment conservation and development; The PM also discussed the ‘Ek ped Maa ke Naam’ campaign.
  • He also went through the details of AMRUT 2. 0, asking Chief Secretaries to track progress, and responded to public complaints on Jal Jeevan Mission saying there is need to focus on operation and maintenance of infrastructure involving women and youth from the villages.
  • The PM stressed on integrated urban water management, and called upon the states to plan for their future city requirements including peri urban areas in their thinking and policy making for water supplies.
  • He urged to intensify on the Mission Amrit Sarovar stressing on the operational and maintenance aspects of the water structure with public participation with special focus on the desilting.
About PRAGATI platform:

  • Purpose and Launch: PRAGATI is a technology based online portal launched in the year 2015, formulated by the PMO and NIC wherein, the Prime Minister of India in a virtual mode can talk over with the Central as well as State authorities about various matters supported by data and images.
  • Structure and Objectives: It is a three tiers model involving Prime Minister’s Office, Union Secretaries and State Chief Secretaries mainly working on Grievance Redressal, Programme Implementation and Project Monitoring.
  • Technological Integration: PRAGATI is a web based central data management coupled with video facility along with geo spatial services all to advance the concepts of federally, cooperative federalism.
  • Criticism: Another criticism are the charges of state political executives’ marginalisation because of direct PM interaction with state secretaries thus centralising authority in the PMO.
  • Innovation: PRAGATI is one of the major e-governance tools giving fillip to e –transparency and e- accountability.