New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 54th meeting of PRAGATI at Seva Teerth on Wednesday, reviewing infrastructure projects across 31 States and Union Territories, including the Railways, PM Ekta Malls, and Bulk Drug Parks, with a combined cost of over Rs 16,000 crore.
PRAGATI, which stands for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, is an ICT-enabled platform that brings together the Central and State Governments to resolve implementation bottlenecks and improve the delivery of infrastructure projects and welfare schemes.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised timely project completion, better coordination among government agencies and regular monitoring to ensure that projects deliver tangible benefits to the public.
Reviewing the progress of PM Ekta Malls, Modi said the facilities should provide markets for local products, strengthen the livelihoods of artisans and help them expand their businesses.
He called for linking the malls with tourism and local businesses to generate greater demand for locally made products. This, he noted, could create employment opportunities in rural production, packaging, storage and transportation.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need for Chief Secretaries to regularly review the progress of the malls and ensure their timely completion.
Reviewing Bulk Drug Parks in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Modi underlined the importance of prioritising domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and essential inputs to strengthen India’s self-reliance in the pharmaceutical sector.
The Prime Minister also asked Chief Secretaries to review the implementation of government schemes with District Magistrates every month to identify gaps and ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive their entitlements on time.
He emphasised that governance should focus on outcomes rather than expenditure alone, ensuring that public spending translates into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Referring to the Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks Programmes, Modi highlighted the importance of convergence, regular monitoring and local accountability in accelerating development in underserved areas.
He also noted that sustained efforts to improve governance and welfare delivery had helped nearly 25 crore people move out of multidimensional poverty.
During the review of the redevelopment of Ahmedabad railway station, the Prime Minister called for accelerating the redevelopment of major railway stations across the country to improve passenger convenience and ease of travel.
He stressed that redeveloped stations should function as multimodal transport hubs, with seamless connectivity to metro services and other transport networks.
Modi also directed the concerned ministries and State Governments to resolve implementation bottlenecks in mission mode and strengthen coordination between the Centre, States and various government agencies.
Calling for a proactive work culture with greater ownership at every level, he stressed the need to anticipate challenges, take timely decisions and establish clear accountability to ensure that projects are completed within their scheduled timelines.
