https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Many Unanswered Questions, But Who Will Ask The PM?

Modi has reasons to be unhappy on the economic front and the desperation is well founded. It is believed that he was really upset at the delays in various clearances. The key question is why is the ‘weighty’ Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) unable to pull its weight.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Narendra Modi juggernaut has been on a roll for a while. Though there are signs of opposition coming together, the country relentlessly moves towards a single-party rule. He was always a fan of the Singapore model of governance but the ease with which he is managing to secure a similar model in a highly complex Indian society has baffled many political pundits who are now debating whether it would be good for the country. However, not only on the political front, there has been success on the other fronts as well. The COVID vaccine success story has been lauded world over as India appeared to be a savior with Indian COVID vaccine landing in a number of countries. Ironically, whereas China got to be known as the country that gave the scourge of COVID to the world, India provided the much-needed succor. The FICCI Business Confidence Index is all time high. The Sensex is soaring. Yet, Modi appears unhappy. Why?

Narendra Modi may not be admitting in public but he would be conscious of the following:

  1. The GDP growth numbers during the years just before COVID struck have been extremely discouraging;

           2016-17: 8.2

           2017-18: 7.2

2018-19: 6.1

           2019-20: 4.2

2020-21: (-) 7.2 (COVID year)

On this negative base though, the economy is showing signs of recovery

  1. The unemployment rate is at a record high.
  2. Turning a blind eye towards the farmers’ agitation didn’t reduce the intensity of the agitation. Here was a set of legislations that was actually beneficial to the farmers but the process adopted to ‘push’ through these legislations turned out to be counter-productive. The PM had to finally relent.
  3. Despite the business confidence, as reflected in the survey conducted by FICCI, private investment has not picked up during the past few years. If anything, both demonetization and GST actually depressed investment.

Modi has reasons to be unhappy on the economic front and the desperation is well founded. It is believed that he was really upset at the delays in various clearances. The key question is why is the ‘weighty’ Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) unable to pull its weight.

During the early 1990s when Narsimha Rao was the Prime Minister, he headed a minority government. He is credited with pulling through one of the biggest reforms since independence. He may have been heading a weak government but he was clear-headed and, more importantly, he was supported by a seasoned former civil servant, Amar Nath Verma and his formidable team. I was in the state of UP around that time but it was clearly evident that the PMO was driving the agenda of the government without trampling any other institution but providing much needed direction and support. This truly reflected the style of functioning of Narasimha Rao himself who gave a lot of space to his Finance Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. The transformation that came about is there for everyone to see.

When Atal Behari Vajpayee became a ‘regular’ Prime Minister in 1999, he was personally not over-indulgent but had the PMO headed by another seasoned civil servant, Brijesh Mishra. He belonged to the Foreign Service and perhaps for the first time he also held the charge of National Security Adviser. Those that worked during his time also vouch for his effectiveness. The initiatives, like the golden quadrilateral, launched during this regime have stood the test of time.

Both the governments mentioned above did well on the economic front but didn’t do so well at the hustings subsequently. Both Narsimha Rao and Vajpayee could not lead their parties to victories for the second term.

What happened in 2004 and subsequently in 2009 came as a surprise to everyone. Congress came to power in both these elections. It was generally understood that the government was not run by the PM or the PMO but the centre of power that lay elsewhere. The PM and the PMO, however, did get embroiled in various scams even though the PM himself washed his hands off. Here was a PMO that was sending ‘slips’ for favors to a select few though one wondered whether Dr. Manmohan Singh was aware of such ‘(in)discreet directives’. Dr. Manmohan Singh dumped Harish Gupta to save his own skin. Harish Gupta suffered on account of such indiscretions but refrained from even mentioning that some of the ‘directives’ came from the Principal Secretary at the PMO who later went on to become the Principal Advisor. I was also recipient of one such ‘paper slip’ from the Principal Advisor when I was heading the Project Monitoring Group in the Cabinet Secretariat. I had promptly deposited that ‘paper slip’ to where it belonged, the dustbin. (Got to learn more about such ‘paper slips’ informally when I later became the Coal Secretary). Harish Gupta was perhaps not as discreet and paid the price. Unfortunately, no record is kept of such misdemeanors. 

The current PMO of the NDA government too was headed by a seasoned bureaucrat. Much of the success, like the adroit handling of the coal crisis, the Swachhta Abhiyaan, the formulation of Ayushman Bharat were all on account of the ‘drive’ that came from the PMO. I had the occasion to interact with the PM on a number of occasions. He almost always looked assured and hardly lost his cool. He gave a lot of space to the civil servants and encouraged them to speak their mind out. The NDA came back to power on the charisma of Narendra Modi but also on account of some substantial work done in the field in the context of rural housing, rural electrification and cooking gas. 

Then, what happened now? Why is Modi getting so upset? Is the PMO not coming up to his expectations? Why is the PMO unable to drive his agenda that was done so well during NDA 1? Why aren’t the civil servants listening to him? Can servants afford not to listen to him? If the PM is keen on expediting everything, why is the PMO itself sitting on proposals, especially those relating to positioning/posting/selecting of officers, for so long? A large number of posts, including senior positions in PSUs, are vacant. The Project Monitoring Group has shifted to the PMO. Why isn’t it effective in fast tracking clearances? When the PM is so keen on using technology, why isn’t the PMO digitizing files that will help it ascertain, on real time basis, what is pending where and for how long? Why are there still multiple insurance packages for poor and the farmers when an insurance expert is heading the PMO and the PM himself wanting a single package? These (and many more) are, as they say, million-dollar questions that can be answered by the PM himself or by those that are left at the PMO? But who will ask the PM?

(This is the last in the series of ‘Who Will Tell The PM?’)


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards by PM Modi
Civil Services Day 25: 16 IAS Officers Honoured for Excellence in Public Administration - Know More About Them
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards IAS officers
Civil Services Day 25: Inspired by PM’s Vision - Awarded IAS Officers Share Stories of Grassroots Impact
MTNL
MTNL Defaults on Loans Worth Rs. 8,346 Crore; Total Debt Climbs to Rs. 33,568 Crore
Gujarat-government resized
4 IAS Officers Assigned Additional Charges in Gujarat, Ajay Prakash Given Additional Charge As MD, Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Ltd
Punjab_govt_resized
3 IAS & 9 PCS Officers Transferred in Punjab, Sanyam Aggarwal Given Additional Charge As Special Secy, Health and Family Welfare
DGP OM Praksh with his wife1
Retired Karnataka DGP Om Prakash Murdered; Family Dispute or Mental Illness, What Prompted the Homicide?
LIC resized
Pradip Kusum Joseph Dungdung Takes Charge as LIC's Additional Executive Director (Engineering)
IRCTC
Rabindra Nath Mishra to Continue as Director (Finance), IRCTC - Know About Him
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
This Collector Finds Happiness In Squeaks Of Children With Hearing Impairment Who Start Hearing After Surgery
UPSC Stories
images (14)
Utsav Anand, the UPSC Topper Who Chose Public Service Over a Plush Career
From IIT Bombay to the 2022 IAS batch (Haryana cadre), Utsav Anand’s journey is proof that sharp minds...
pushplata-yadav-ias
How IAS Pushp Lata’s Strategy and Spirit Took Her to AIR 80
From rural Haryana to IAS, Pushp Lata Yadav’s journey reflects focused planning, adaptation, and the...
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
IRS officer Padmapani Bora's 16-year career transcends typical bureaucracy. Discover his surprising journey...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards by PM Modi
Civil Services Day 25: 16 IAS Officers Honoured for Excellence in Public Administration - Know More About Them
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards IAS officers
Civil Services Day 25: Inspired by PM’s Vision - Awarded IAS Officers Share Stories of Grassroots Impact
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT